The Fox, the Eagle and the Bulldog
by Corby Moritz
Summary: What does honor, loyalty and morality look like in a world where we lost the Second World War. There will be a new chapter released every week on Sunday.
1. Chapter 1

Ch.1

A steady stream of people walked from the orderly parking lot outside of the large, beautiful school campus and into the large, very modern-looking gymnasium. The men wore grey or black suits with long coats and scarves while the women all wore more colorful dresses with their hair well done and their makeup done perfectly. They greeted one another with smiles and hugs as their husbands nodded at one another and shook hands firmly. As the women talked quietly about new recipes or upholstery the men discussed the recent upturn in exports between the Pacific States and the Reich and the steady upturn in the Deutschmark. Amongst the men in suits, with their obligatory party pin on their left lapel, were men in various types of uniforms.

In the locker room of the gymnasium a tall young man with broad shoulders and wiry but well-muscled arms stretched and sat on one of the wooden benches. He was wearing grey shorts and he laced up black shoes around his thin legs and ankles and breathed out as his strikingly blue eyes swept the locker room. He stood and adjusted the athletic tank top he was wearing. He looked in the mirror and touched the white eagle in the middle of the black tank top for a moment before he breathed in and nodded. He began wrapping his hands and he looked up sharply as he heard footsteps approaching. A boy his age appeared with an older man with gelled black hair in a black SS uniform, "Thomas, Obergruppenfuhrer Smith." He said in a slightly accented voice as he raised his hand in greeting.

"Karl, we just wanted to wish you luck." The boy said as he looked at the handsome young man.

Karl smiled as he stood and finished wrapping his hands and wrists, "Isn't that a little bit traitorous of you Thomas?" He asked as he looked at Thomas with a mischievous glint in his blue eyes, "Offering support to the opposing school's boxer?" He asked and Thomas smiled and shook his head.

"I think it would be far worse if I didn't offer luck to the son of one of my closest friends, though he won't need it." Obergruppenfuhrer Smith said, "And as I've said before." He said as he put a hand on Karl's shoulder, "It's John, Karl." He said with a wan smile.

Karl nodded and looked up promptly as a tall man with blonde hair and blue eyes walked in, "Der Kampf wird beginnen." The man said as he held up two white boxing gloves and John watched as Karl's eyes lost their kindness and became steely as his dark brows furrowed, "Keine gnade." The man said as he hit Karl's chest with both fists, "Kein versagen." He said as he hit Karl again and Karl nodded as his nostrils widened and his face twisted in intensity, "Immer sieg." He said as he fitted a clear mouth guard into Karl's mouth and Karl nodded intensely then turned and walked, with his coach out to where a large boxing ring was set up.

"He seemed nervous." Thomas said, "He was really quiet."

"That wasn't nerves, Thomas." John said as they walked out of the locker room and joined the crowd, "That was bloodlust." He said and Thomas looked from his father's intense profile to Klaus who was standing eerily still as the competitor, a young boy who was slightly more heavy set then Klaus, bounced up and down. "What's that boy like Thomas?"

"Cruel, dumb." Thomas said and John nodded as he put his arm around a woman and kissed her cheek.

"How do you think he'll do John?" She asked.

"Oh Helen," John said as he nodded, "Karl is going to rip this boy apart." He said as he sat forward, his eyes fixed on the ring.

"Ladies and Gentleman, the match we've been waiting for all year! In the red corner, the champion of the North American continent, from our very own Reich Institute Lucas Miller! And in the white corner, the winner of the European Continent league, from Neue Auftragsakademie, the Young Fox, Karl Rommel!" The announcer said and the crowd cheered.

Karl could feel his heart beating slightly faster in anticipation of the fight but he breathed in evenly through his nose and out of his mouth. The tall referee in all black called them both to the middle. "Alright gentlemen, a clean fight, understand?" He asked as he grabbed them both by the shoulder and squeezed, "Touch gloves." He said and Karl held out his gloves but Lucas looked at him and gave a smirk before he shook the referee off and turned his back on Karl. Karl's eyes widened in rage at the snub and he took a step forward but the referee stepped in front of him. Karl and Lucas locked eyes and Karl nodded as he bit his lip and clenched his jaw.

John leaned forwards as he watched all of this intently and Helen shook her head, "What?" Thomas asked as he saw his father's intensity.

"That was a mistake." He said.

Karl walked to his corner and his coach grabbed his chin, "Verlieren sie nicht den kopf." He said and Karl looked at him, "Verwenden sie ihre wut." He said and Karl nodded, "Go." He said and Karl turned just as the bell rang. His adrenaline flooded into him as Lucas immediately advanced. He could hear only his breathing and his steady but strong heart beat. He threw a jab to halt Lucas's advance then slipped a few of his blows before he saw an opening. He slammed his lead hand into Lucas's jaw then followed with a powerful shot to his ribcage. He slipped a jab that Lucas threw to get space then he grunted as Lucas threw a heavy body shot. He got some space because he'd seen an opening when he took the shot to his ribs. He advanced once more and saw Lucas preparing another body shot. He took the hit then slammed an uppercut into Lucas's exposed jaw, knocking him back. Then Karl was advancing and Lucas was frantically attempting to stave off the attack.

Suddenly the bell ending the round sounded loudly and Karl immediately stopped mid swing and turned. Lucas breathed out and struck a blow to Karl's back and Karl immediately spun around but the referee was grabbing Karl from around his chest as Lucas' coach grabbed Lucas, "Get back!" The referee yelled as Karl's coach ran into the ring and stood in front of Karl who was so mad at the slight he could hardly see straight. His coach grabbed his shoulders and threw him into his corner as the referee yelled at Lucas and his coach.

John was standing up and watching Karl closely as his coach inspected Karl's back and nodded at the referee to indicate they would continue. He washed out Karl's mouth then patted his back and said something softly as Karl shifted feet and knocked his gloves together. The bell rang again and he walked forward with his hands up. Lucas began throwing a bunch of blows which Karl either slipped or blocked. He took a few grazing blows before he spotted an opening and began his cool, unemotional onslaught. He landed a heavy blow to Lucas's body then threw his entire body behind the punch he delivered to Lucas's jaw. Lucas fell to his knees and the referee immediately shoved Karl away and counted to two before Lucas managed to get up.

The referee started the match again and Karl moved cautiously at first then, sure enough, Lucas came in swinging. Karl slipped a few and John furrowed his brow and nodded, "This fight is over." He said and Thomas looked at him.

"What do you mean?" He asked then he looked up at the fight and saw Karl deliver a powerful uppercut to Lucas. Lucas's head snapped back and he fell to the floor of the ring hard. The referee shoved Karl aside and began counting as Karl raised his hands and let out a triumphant yell, his muscles standing out and the veins in his neck bulging as the crowd cheered. John nodded approvingly as the referee walked over to Karl and raised his hand, announcing him as the winner. Karl turned and walked back to his corner of the ring where his coach hooked his hand behind his neck and they touched foreheads as he spoke to Karl. Karl nodded and smiled as he spat out the mouthguard. His coach pulled Karl's gloves off and Karl turned and walked to the center of the ring where Lucas was standing, waiting for him. The referee stood in between them.

"And the winner, from the white corner, Karl Rommel!" The announcer said and the referee raised Karl's arm. Lucas wheeled around and grabbed the front of Karl's shirt. John's eyes widened as the crowd grew silent and the coaches took a step forward. Karl waved them off as he locked eyes with Lucas.

"This would be a mistake." Karl said and Lucas sneered at him.

"You got lucky," He said and Karl nodded.

"No, I'm better then you." He said evenly then cocked his head, "You lost because you are worse than me." He said and Lucas raised his fist. In a moment Karl had swept Lucas's feet out from underneath him and Lucas was lying on his back with Karl's knee on his chest, "I warned you." Karl said as he looked down at his ripped tank top and shrugged it off exposing an extremely defined chest and abdomen, "You are beat, accept it." He said then he stood and nodded at the referee extending his hand, "Thank you." He said then he walked over to Lucas's coach and shook his hand. He walked over to his corner and left the ring.

"Du hast deinen Familiennamen nicht beschimpft." His coach said as they walked towards the locker room.

"Egal wie sehr ich wollte." Karl said. Suddenly there was shouting and Karl turned just in time to receive a blow to his nose. He clasped a hand over his broken nose as it gushed blood and looked to see Lucas. People from the crowd had Lucas and were pulling him back and just as Karl took a step forward he heard a calm voice in his ear.

"No," John said as he got Karl in a bear hug and pulled him back, "That's enough of that son." He said as blood gushed down Karl's face and Karl fought against him.

" Lassen sie John gehen! Lass mich gehen!" Karl yelled over the roar of the crowd.

"Karl, you'd regret it and we need to get you to a doctor." He said calmly as Karl's coach parted the crowd behind John and Karl, allowing John to pull Karl back towards the locker room.

Karl stopped fighting him and John was able to pull him into the locker room quicker then he let go and Karl turned to face him. Blood had run all down his face, even onto his bare chest and he was breathing heavily. John looked at him as Karl shook his head and clenched his jaw, "Is he insane? What was that?" He asked as John watched him breathing heavily, "Broke my nose." He said.

"We need to get you to a doctor Karl, you understand?" John asked as he waved the coach away, "You don't feel it now, but you will soon." He said and Karl swallowed and looked at John then he punched one of the lockers.

"I should have killed him!" Karl yelled as he put a hand on the locker and rested his forehead on it with his eyes closed, his face twisted in anger.

"That famous Rommel temper," John said as he looked at Karl's back.

Karl took a few deep breaths then combed his fingers through his dirty blonde hair before he turned around. He put a hand on a locker as he began to feel a little woozy. John stepped forward and Klaus nodded, "Ich denke, sie haben recht über das Krankenhaus." He said as he smiled wanly and felt more blood drip down his face.

"Alright. come on, I'll drive you." He said as he stepped up to Karl.

"No, no, your wife and Thomas, come on John I can…"

"Nonsense," John said as he shook his head and put a hand on Karl's shoulder, "Nonsense I insist Karl." He said and Karl furrowed his brow as he grabbed a towel and draped it around his shoulders. John escorted Karl into a black town car and he pulled away, "Helen and Thomas are getting a ride from a friend of ours." John said and Karl nodded.

"Good," Karl said with a nod as he looked at John, "I don't want to inconvenience any of you."

"I won't hear anymore of this," John said as he drove quickly through the traffic, "You're our guest while you're over here." He said as he pulled towards a large building.

Karl breathed out of his mouth and winced and John looked at him as he pulled into the parking lot. He got out of the car slowly and closed his eyes as he winced and John walked up to him and looked critically at his face, "You'll need surgery." He said and Karl looked at John as he swallowed and walked towards the hospital door.

"Solange sie mich klopfen." He said with a wan smile which quickly slid from his face as he felt a rush of pain. As they entered the hospital the nurse at the front desk looked over at them and immediately there were two doctors and two nurses urging Karl onto a stretcher.

"What happened?" A doctor asked John as another doctor bent over Karl and studied his face.

"I'll call the specialist, we'll need to set the nose, use surgery to reshape the cartilage then," He said as he lightly touched the bone under Karl's eye.

Karl let out a yell and began to reach up instinctively but the other doctor restrained him, "Knock him out, knock him out!" He yelled as the other doctor continued to probe the area.

"Broken, we need to get him in surgery quick." The doctor said as he put a hand on Karl's chest and looked at the nurse, "Prep him." He said and the nurses wheeled him away.

"He'll be fine Obergruppenfuhrer," The doctor said and John clenched his jaw and looked at the man then nodded, "We'll be done in a few hours. We'll call you back in when we're done." He said and John nodded.

He walked back into the hospital waiting room and looked up to see a man in uniform approaching him, "Obergruppenfuhrer Smith," The man said as he saluted and John nodded and returned the salute.

"Erich, find out everything you can about a boy named Lucas Miller." Smith said then took the briefcase Erich had brought, "The files are in here?" He asked and Erich nodded, "Thank you Erich." He said and the man saluted and walked away. John breathed out and sat down in the waiting room with a sigh. He crossed his legs and reached into his briefcase and pulled out a file.

Printed on the front in neat type under the stamped Reich Eagle was the name Karl Erwin Rommel. He breathed in and opened the file, settling down to read it.

After a few hours a doctor walked out and nodded at John who slid the file into the briefcase and stood, "How is he?"

"The surgery went well Obergruppenführer. His nose is reset, the cartilage is reset and the bones in his face are stabilized. He'll be in pain and have bruising for a while, but we're giving him medication to handle the pain." The doctor said as they walked down the hall, "Obviously he shouldn't be hit in the face anytime soon." He said and John raised his eyebrows and nodded, "He'll regain consciousness soon and he'll be able to go home tomorrow." He said as he stopped outside of a hospital room.

"Thank you," John said as they shook hands. The doctor walked away and John stepped into the room. Karl was unconscious on the bed, his head was turned slightly to the left and the hospital blankets were pulled up to his waist keeping his chest exposed. John could see bandaging on Karl's face and he winced slightly as he took a seat next to Karl's bed. He breathed in and crossed his legs as he looked at Karl, "So you won't be able to box for a while." He said to the unconscious Karl, knowing that talking would bring him to consciousness sooner, "Unfortunate given your talent." He added as he nodded and breathed out, looking around the hospital room, "I was just…" He said as he breathed out, "I was just reading up on something I should have seen to a long time ago." He said with a nod as he looked at Karl.

He saw Karl's legs move slightly underneath the covers and he watched silently for a moment to see if Karl would wake. After he didn't, John breathed in and nodded, "Every time I see you, I am reminded of my greatest failure." He said as he nodded emotionlessly, "That day, seven years ago…"

"Wasn't your fault John," Karl said quietly and John breathed in and smiled as he leaned forwards.

"You're up." He said. Karl hadn't moved a muscle yet, but he was fully conscious if not groggy.

"That day wasn't your fault." Karl said, "So if you were going to apologize for some perceived slight, please don't." He said in a voice older than his eighteen years would suggest.

"Karl I was the man in charge…."

"Of the security on the Rommel tour of the Greater Reich," Karl said as he turned his head to look at John, "You're not the only one who can look into people." He said and John raised his eyebrows, "I found the men left over from the attack John, some I killed myself, others met their end in a less personal way." Karl said and John furrowed his brow.

"Karl, I'm not questioning your actions or implying anything in that regard, only that the burden should not have fallen on the shoulders of a teenager."

"You blame yourself for allowing the attack to happen," Karl said, "But an attack against our family is constantly a threat." He said as he studied John's face with his blue eyes. He closed his eyes and breathed in, "John I'm telling you to let go of that guilt that you've been carrying. No one in our family blames you."

"Karl you lost your mother," John said as he looked at Karl searchingly, "And your childhood."

Karl looked at John for a moment, "I wish we could have had this talk," He said as he strained and grunted, sitting up with his back against the hospital bed as John leaned forwards and winced, "Under more dignified," He said as he looked down at his bare chest and smiled easily, "Circumstances, but it is good." He said as he looked at John, "John I grew up all throughout Europe, Africa, the Mediterranean. I saw my father assist in every major Reich project, I learned every language I could possibly learn, experienced everything I could possibly have experienced." Karl said as he looked at John, "I did lose my childhood John," He said as he nodded and John studied his face earnestly, "But I gained the tools necessary to tip the balance of power in my favor. Now I have come to peace with that explanation," Karl said as he winced and looked at John with a nod, "I have moved on and I think you must too." He said and John looked at Karl for a moment then raised his eyebrows.

"I have to keep reminding myself that you're Thomas' age."

"Four years older," Karl said with a wan smile, "I'll fight for that." He said and John raised his hands and sat back as he raised his eyebrows a few times and smiled.

"I'll work on it," He said and Karl shook his head and swallowed.

"What do I know? I'm a teenager." He said as he rested his head on the back of the headboard of the hospital bed.

"Well now don't be modest Karl." John said in his soft, slightly raspy voice, "You're not just any normal boy, you stand on your own."

Karl raised his eyebrows, "I stand on my family name if that's what you mean John."

"No," John said, "No, you stand on your own accomplishments." He said, "You're fluent in Russian, German, English, Spanish. You can hold your own in all of the Nordic languages as well as in Japanese. You've run operations, worked on the…the draining of the Mediterranean, the subjugation of the Africans."

Karl smiled wanly, "You've been doing some light reading." He said with a knowing look, "I've always wondered what Himmler said about me behind the praise and smiles."

John looked at Karl for a moment then breathed in, "The consensus seems to be that you're dangerous." He said and Karl locked his eyes on John all social politeness gone and only a cold, piercing look left in his green eyes, "You grew up far from the normal bounds of the Reich. This is your first time, since the attack, that you've been within Reich territory. After you attend the Crown Prince's speech in the Pacific States, it will be your first time in Berlin in a decade."

"Did they send you Obergruppenfuhrer Smith?" Karl asked as he looked at John intently, "To assess my…danger?" He asked and John looked at Karl for a moment.

"Would I have told all this if that were true?" John asked and Karl looked at him for a moment.

"Ja," He said simply and John looked at Karl for a moment then nodded.

"Smart." He said and Karl furrowed his brow, "Unfortunately wrong in this circumstance, but I can see you'll do just fine in Berlin."

"Why were you reading up on me then John?"

"Your father and I were…close." John said, "We lost touch after you took two bullets as a result of my…"

"John," Karl began but John shook his head and Karl nodded and put his hand up as he allowed John to continue.

"As a direct result of my mistake, I wanted to see how he'd been. Naturally that meant reading up on his son."

"You couldn't just call him?" Karl asked.

"He's busy with the new project of damming Gibraltar," John said, "You know that."

"John, he would take your call." Karl said and John shook his head.

"We'll meet one day. This is a conversation we must have face to face." He said and Karl looked at John once more and nodded.

"Very well John." Karl said and John looked at Karl for a moment then his eyes strayed to the scars on Karl's defined, muscular body. Karl noticed this but chose to not address it as his eyes turned instead to a doctor entering the room, "Ah Arzt. Sag mir ich kann gehen." He said and the doctor turned his eyes to John who stood.

"I know you said tomorrow, but…" John said as he looked at the man.

The doctor looked at the medical charts, "He'll be drowsy for a while from the medication, but I can discharge you now if you want that." He said and Karl pushed the blanket back and stood, using one arm to steady himself on the wall.

"Ich denke, das ist am besten. Schnell, bitte." He said and the doctor nodded then left the room.

"You'll have to wear scrubs out." John said as he handed Karl white pants and a white top.

"Charming, you don't think this is appropriate?" Karl asked as he slipped the pants on over his boxers.

"Maybe to the young ladies of the Reich." John said with a smile as Karl looked up at him, "Anxious to see the eligible Rommel."

Karl smiled and immediately winced and let out a grunt of pain, "With all of these bandages?" He asked as he gestured to his face which had bandages all across the bridge of his nose and under his eyes.

"I don't know," John said as he watched Karl slip the shirt over his head, "Adds to the mystery."

Karl smiled wanly, "Charmer, I'll have to keep my eye on you." He said only half kidding as he slipped on shoes and nodded at John.

"After you Mr. Rommel," He said and Karl looked at him for a moment then nodded and strode purposefully out of the room, ignoring the pain he was in.

"Herr Rommel!" The doctor called and Karl turned just before he and John were about to walk out, "These are morphine tablets." He said as he handed Karl a large bottle, "Take two at most, twice a day. If you should exceed that dosage…"

"I am familiar with morphine doctor." Karl said as he took the bottle and looked the man in the eyes for a moment in silence then he nodded, "Vielen Dank." He said then walked out with John. They got back into John's car and John pulled out of the hospital parking lot. Karl looked out the window, he felt strange. All that talk with John, he thought, and possibly the drugs. He was looking out the window silently and John seemed to sense something was different.

"Are you alright Karl?" He asked and Karl breathed in and watched the passing scenery.

"I'm alive John," Karl said as he looked at the well-manicured houses, "I am alive." He said slowly as he furrowed his brow.

A tall young man with blonde hair and blue eyes strode across the line delineating Reich territory from the Pacific States. He walked across the large stone pavilion and looked around at the grey sky scrapers. He strode purposefully with long strides but it looked natural as he put one hand in a pocket and allowed his long legs to carry him at a fast clip. He had an extremely lanky and athletic build with strong, aquiline features. Everything about his looks invited people in, but his eyes were cold, unfeeling. He scanned the crowd of people as he reached in his grey suit pocket and pulled out a cigarette from a silver case. He lit it deftly and tucked the case back in his suit jacket. He massaged his temples and breathed out as he watched a squad of Kempeitai men walk by. He put a hand in his pocket and walked into the bustling city.

The streets and stalls lining the hilly streets were bustling with a mix of Japanese and white people in all different sorts of garb ranging from suits and uniforms to kimonos. All of the people were in some state of hurry and small vehicles whizzed between them quickly.

As he strode past the citizens of the Pacific States he would occasionally draw stares or even looks of hostility. While outwardly ignoring this, he noticed every look and made mental notes of every face he passed. He walked into a small bakery and approached the counter. The bakery's air was flour filled making it appear slightly dusty and there was only a counter top in the entire store, "Mr. Axmann." An older Japanese woman said as she bowed from behind the counter.

"Good morning." He said as she placed some boxes on the counter.

"The usual, yes?" She asked and he nodded, all business, as he placed some notes on the counter, "It's only forty yen, Mr. Axmann." She said and the man smiled wanly and nodded. She bowed as he left the shop with the package.

He walked down the street, past the many large buildings and dark alleys and towards a large patch of green and open space. He slowed his pace as the crowds thinned and the eyes on him decreased until he was walking amongst trees instead of buildings. He walked further into the park down the well-kept gravel paths, until he reached a babbling brook devoid of all people and he sat down on a bench. He crossed his legs and opened the box to reveal freshly made, hot, buns. He breathed in and picked one up, "Beautiful day." An accented voice said, breaking the silence.

He looked to his right to see an older Japanese man in a well-tailored suit with black, thickly lensed glasses, "Mr. Tagomi." He said as he stood and looked at the man for a moment then gestured to the bench, "Please." He said and Tagomi bowed then walked over to the bench and took a seat.

"Thank you." He said and Axmann nodded as he sat back down.

"Of course," He said, "And please, if you wish, help yourself. There is more than enough." He said as he gestured to the box.

"Thank you." Tagomi said as he looked at the young man. Axmann nodded and looked at the stream once more, "You are settling in to your post here Oberfuhrer Axmann?" He asked and the young man nodded as he clenched his jaw.

"Yes I am Mr. Tagomi. It is, obviously, very different from my last assignment but there are a lot of things to love and appreciate about this place."

"You have adjusted more quickly than I could have imagined. It has only been two weeks and you have found the most beautiful part of the park. " Tagomi said, very shocked by the young man's versatility and openness to the new environment and culture.

Axmann looked at Tagomi, his face as stony and emotionless as most of the high-ranking Japanese officials, "Well Mr. Tagomi, it is my job to adjust." He said as he stood, "As for the park, the city has few pastimes I am partial to, but walking in the park is one I shall never grow tired of. Please excuse me," He said as he straightened his tie and jacket.

"Your food, Oberfuhrer Axmann." He said and Axmann stopped and looked back at Tagomi.

"Mr. Tagomi, you may take it if you wish to, but there are two children who look half-starved, sitting under a tree behind you and they may appreciate a hot meal." He said then snapped a quick salute and walked away leaving Tagomi wondering about the mysterious young man.

He walked back to the large stone courtyard with the line painted in front of the largest skyscraper of the city, made larger with the swastika on top of it. As he walked towards the line a group of people walked out of the building and up to the line.

He walked up to them and snapped a salute, "Ambassador Reiss, Sieg Heil." He said and Reiss smiled and returned the salute.

"Hans, we thought we would have to endure this meeting without your all-seeing gaze." Reiss, a man with well kept brown hair in a nice suit said as he smiled easily. Axmann fell into step with the Ambassador, though standing slightly behind him.

Hans looked over every individual that passed within 10 yards of them, keeping his hands loose and by his side, prepared to grab his concealed sidearm if need be. They walked through the streets and quickly approached a large skyscraper crawling with Japanese businessmen as well as Kempeitai guards. As they approached, the guards began talking and looking at the large party with worry and intensity on their faces. Hans looked around, feeling increasingly more anxious as his pale eyes slid from one young anxious face to the next.

He saw their hands grasping at their rifles and shifting their grips as they glanced at their superiors. As a Kempeitai officer approached, Hans moved so that he could easily react to anything that was about to happen, "This way." The Japanese man said, leading them to a well adorned section of the building where Kempeitai were set up to screen them. Hans positioned himself to be last, watching closely as all the other members of the party were screened and escorted through the room. As he walked up, one of the young Kempeitai men spotted his concealed weapon and raised his rifle as he began shouting. Several other young men joined in as Hans raised his hands and studied them intently.

"What do you want me to do?" He asked calmly but the young man kept yelling something in Japanese and waving the rifle in his face. A tall, thin Japanese man with round wire-rim spectacles walked by the room just in time to see this incident. He was wearing an all black suit and he paused to watch what would happen next with interest in his intelligent brown eyes, but no expression save the omnipresent slight anger and disgust on his face.

Hans looked at the screaming young Kempeitai man for a moment then with lightning quick reflexes he grabbed the man's rifle and spun around him, locking the rifle against the man's throat and using his body to shield Hans from the other Kempeitai men who were now pointing their guns at Hans. Hans' expression and heart rate hadn't changed at all, "Hor auf zu reden." He hissed in the man's ear.

"Yameru!" The tall man said authoritatively as he stepped into the room. Hans looked at the new man intently as he stepped in front of Hans and nodded as they locked eyes, "Oberfuhrer Axmann," He said as Hans looked at the man, shifting slightly as the Kempeitai man he was choking struggled, "Your reputation precedes you." He said and Hans looked at him.

"I'm afraid, Chief Inspector Kido." Hans said and the man nodded in mutual respect of their intelligence knowledge, "I do not speak Japanese."

Kido looked at Hans then breathed in, "They were instructing you to put your hands up, Oberfuhrer Axmann."

Hans locked eyes with Kido and kicked the young man's knees, causing him to drop to the ground before he kicked him away and threw the rifle on the ground in front of him. He kept his eyes locked on Kido's the entire time and slowly raised his hands. Kido narrowed his eyes slightly as he moved close to Hans then reached into his suit jacket to remove Hans' sidearm. He handed it to a Kempeitai man, "Sore wa subetedsu." Kido said and the man bowed as he stepped aside, "If you would follow me." He said and Hans breathed in as he fell into step with the man. Another man was walking with them and Hans looked the younger man up and down, "Sergeant Yoshida, you may leave us." Kido said and the man bowed and peeled off down a hallway, "I regret this is the first time we have met."

"We are both busy men," Hans said as they walked through the building, "Are we not?" He asked and Kido looked at the young, handsome Aryan with a slightly furrowed brow.

"We are," Kido answered as they stepped into an elevator. Kido noticed that, not unlike himself, Hans took in everything around him regardless of how chaotic the environment. There was silence for a moment then Kido gave a sharp intake of breath, "You are very young for your rank, Oberfuhrer." He said as he turned his gaze on Axmann once more, studying him as a scientist would study a subject.

Hans looked at Kido and nodded, "As I have said," Hans said as the doors opened, "I am a busy man." He said as they stepped out of the elevator. They walked to the large double doors leading to the meeting area and both men stopped. They knew their place, their post was right outside that door.

Hans felt no need to speak with Kido, the man was competent and was a definite threat but Hans sensed it was less a physical(though that was a considerable element)threat and more of a strategic and a mental threat. Hans breathed in as he looked out the window down the hallway from him.

Kido switched his gaze from the clock to Hans as he saw Hans' brow furrow and he caught Hans blinking rapidly for a moment before he breathed in and settled down. Kido switched his gaze back to the clock as he thought about what he had seen. He wasn't surprised to see Hans' impressive combat skills, nor was he shocked to see some form of mental trauma. He had, of course, read Hans' intelligence file in depth and the twenty-three year old had done and seen things that could leave nothing but damage in their wake. But then again, Kido thought, who wasn't left damaged by this war and its aftermath.

Hans snapped his heels as soon as the door opened and saluted the Ambassador as Kido bowed deeply. The party passed them and Hans brought his arm down as Kido straightened up. Hans looked at Kido for a moment then he turned and followed the party out without a backwards glance. Kido stood there for a moment then he walked purposefully down the hallway where Sergeant Yoshida was waiting, "Sergeant, find me every piece of information that we have on Oberfuhrer Hans Axmann." He said, "And have him followed every time he leaves Reich territory." He said and Yoshida bowed and walked away as Kido allowed a touch of a grimace to interrupt his usual scowl.

Hans followed the group outside of the Nippon Building and watched as they dispersed safely. He breathed out and straightened his jacket as he finally relaxed for the first time that day. He turned back to the building just in time to see Chief Inspector Kido approaching him, "Your firearm, Oberfuhrer Axmann." He said as he handed Hans the pistol. Hans looked at the pistol and quickly cleared it and put it on safety, sliding it back into his holster, "Not that you need it." He added and Hans looked at him, "Though do be careful to carry your firearm paperwork with you." He said as he narrowed his eyes and placed a black hat on his head. Then he walked past Hans with Sergeant Yoshida close behind him and Hans watched them climb into a black car and drive away.

He scratched his head and breathed out as he buttoned his suit jacket, concealing his firearm, "Oberfuhrer Axmann," He heard a voice as he approached the embassy. He looked up to see a man in uniform approaching. The man stopped and snapped a salute which Hans returned deftly, "Sir, we have a situation." He said and Hans looked at the man then scanned the watching Kempeitai guards at the nearby post they had outside of the embassy.

"Quietly," Hans said as he gestured for the man to join him.

"Sir, the Yakuza are holding a corporal for ransom." He hissed and Hans clenched his jaw in anger and annoyance as he furrowed his brow, "They say that he stole from them and they want 400,000 yen for him." He said as they walked into the embassy. Hans stopped walking and scratched his eye as he thought about the issue.

"Who is it?" Hans asked then raised his hand as the man began to answer, "Is he connected in any way? Father, Uncle, Aunt?"

"No sir." The man said and Hans nodded as he massaged the bridge of his nose then breathed out.

"Well we need to get him back." Hans said and the man nodded.

"I can get the money sir."

"Hauptsturmfuhrer," Hans said causing the man to stop, "I didn't say that." He said.

Hans sat in a car as an officer wove through the streets of San Francisco. Two cars followed his and they pulled down a deserted alley and into a warehouse section of the city. Hans got out of the car quickly as the man pulled over and he looked behind him to see six other men in suits get out of the two cars. He nodded at a warehouse ahead of them and they quickly walked over to it and knocked on the door, "Wenn wir hineingehen, gehen sie geradeaus und töten alle die sie sehen." Hans said as he knocked on a door.

"Und sie, mein Herr?" He asked as a man slid a slot open on the door and looked at them.

"We're here to collect our man." Hans said and the man looked at them in their well-tailored suits for a moment then he nodded and closed the slot, "Tun sie einfach ihren job." Hans said and the man nodded as the door opened, "Danke." Hans said then pulled his gun and shot the man directly in the head, firing once more to kill a man behind the one who had opened the door. The men around Hans immediately snapped into action and rushed into the building as Hans ducked down a corridor. He could hear shouts and gunfire from somewhere to his left as he walked calmly down the hallway.

He fired quickly, killing two men who were running from one room to the next then he heard a stop in the gunfire and he furrowed his brow as the shouting reached louder levels. He entered the back of a room to see that a Japanese man in front of him was holding the young corporal with a gun to his head and was screaming at the group of Nazis who had burst into his small cache house. The man didn't even notice as Hans walked up behind him calmly and blew the side of his head away with one close range shot.

The corporal was covered in the man's blood and was shaking in fear. Hans grabbed the front of the younger man's uniform. He looked into the young man's eyes searchingly then he shook his head, "Holt ihn mir aus den Augen." He said as he shoved the man back and two of the men he'd bright with him bundled him out of the building and back to the car.

"How many dead?" He asked and a tall man with black hair nodded.

"Six in here sir," He said.

"Two at the door, two more than six. Ten total?" Hans asked and the man nodded, "Okay, that should send a message to the Yakuza." He said as he looked around and shook his head, "Anyone injured?" He asked and the man shook of his.

"Those yellow monkeys can't shoot." He said and Hans looked at him for a moment then nodded.

"No, okay Heinrich, pull the men out before the Kempeitai show up." He said and the man nodded and left. Hans holstered his weapon and looked around at the dead bodies. He shook his head then furrowed his brow as he spotted a pile of money on a table along with a roll of tape. He walked towards the table and looked at the film reel, "The Grasshopper Lies Heavy?" He read softly as he furrowed his brow. He opened the large metal case and pulled out the film reel within it. He looked at it for a moment then slipped it into his suit jacket. He remembered that name somehow. As he walked outside the warehouse he heard a shout and his head snapped up to see a Japanese man in a suit with a weapon. He heard a gunshot and felt his left side jerk back before he pulled his own pistol and fired a shot, killing the man instantly.

Heinrich ran up to him as two men ran up to the dead Yakuza man, "Sir, are you alright?" He asked as Hans looked down at his left arm seeing a rip in his suit and he shook his head.

"It's nothing, just a graze. Yakuza?" He asked as the men walked up to him.

"Yes sir."

"Hmm, eleven dead." Hans said then breathed in, "Lass uns gehen." He said and they got into the cars.

Hans walked into the embassy and immediately took an elevator up to the twentieth floor. He was wincing in pain and he noticed that he was dripping blood slightly as he walked down the well-furnished hallway. He walked to a door with the gold number 18 nailed on it. He opened it and stepped in, closing the door. He breathed out and closed his eyes, alone for the first time that day. He shrugged off his jacket and studied the hole in his jacket. He put a finger through it and sighed as he grimaced and threw the jacket over a chair. He looked down at his white shirt to see that it was stained with blood. He ignored it for a time and walked over to a small table with a bottle of liquor and glasses. He poured himself a glass then he breathed in. The grey phone on a desk rang as he was lifting the glass to his lips once more. He stared at it for a moment then he sighed and shifted his drink to his left hand, wincing slightly as he picked the phone up with his right, "Hallo." He said.

"Hans," A voice said, "Wie geht es Ihnen?"

"Obersturmbannfuhrer Heydrich." Hans said, "I'm well sir, and you?"

"Gut, mir geht es gut." He said and Hans breathed in, "I just received very interesting news about a certain rottenfuhrer of mine being sent back to the Greater Reich."

Hans raised his eyebrows, obviously a spy in the embassy, that reaction time was far too quick, "Sir I…"

"Hans, you did the right thing, but we must all take care," Heydrich said, "Lest we provoke the Japanese into doing something rash."

Hans furrowed his brow, this couldn't possibly be the extent of the conversation nor the reason why he called him on a direct line, "Sir, gibt es noch etwas anderes?" He asked as he breathed out.

"Takezo Nakamura." He said then the line went dead.

Hans knew what it meant when he was given a name. He sighed and put the phone down after a few moments. He walked to the window that overlooked San Francisco and looked out over the city for a moment. He winced as he felt a pull in his arm and he looked down. He unbuttoned his shirt and slowly peeled the blood-soaked shirt off of the graze wound. He looked at it for a moment then nodded and finished his drink. He walked over to his kitchen and reached into a drawer to pull out a neatly packaged medical kit. He opened it on the counter then reached into his suit pocket and pulled out a cigarette. He lit it and grimaced as he breathed in deeply, "Es wird eine lange Nacht."

"Inspector, there are are ten more dead in the warehouse." Yoshida said as he walked up to Kido who was standing over the body of the Yakuza member outside of the warehouse. He looked up at Yoshida and furrowed his brow.

"All Yakuza?" He asked and Yoshida nodded.

"Yes sir." He said and Kido nodded and looked back down at the man. He looked from the man to where the man had been facing when he was shot. He walked a few paces then stopped by the door of the warehouse as he noticed a pool of blood, "Resistance?" Yoshida asked and Kido narrowed his eyes.

"Perhaps." He said and Yoshida nodded.

"Sir, one more thing." Yoshida said as he handed Kido the empty film reel. Kido took the reel and looked at Yoshida intently, "They didn't leave empty handed."

"No," He said as he breathed in, "They left with a film, a Nazi official and a bullet wound. Watch the hospitals for anyone with a bullet wound."

"Shall I begin rounding up known Resistance affiliates?" Yoshida asked and Kido furrowed his brow.

"Yes, and Sergeant." He said as he looked at Yoshida, "Have Trudy Walker followed." He said and Yoshida bowed and walked away, leaving Kido to stare at the empty film reel.

Hans put on a fresh shirt over the bandage on his arm and threw on brown trousers and a brown leather belt. He put a small pistol in his pocket then checked the intelligence file he'd had brought up to his room. He verified the name of the bar he was attending then he drained his drink and grabbed a long coat, leaving the embassy. As soon as he stepped foot outside he noticed the tail that was on him. He breathed out, "Japanese." He muttered as he popped the collar of his jacket and melted into the crowd. A few twists and back alley routes and the tail was completely lost. He shook his head thoroughly unimpressed and he continued on his way, down the well-lit streets of San Francisco.

He stopped outside of what looked to be a local basement bar and he furrowed his brow, verifying the name of the place before he entered it. He immediately canvassed the room and located his target in a very discreet and quick way. He walked up to the bar where two men and a pretty girl were sitting, "Uh, Sapporo." He ordered as he set his hat on the bar and sat down. He fixed his eyes on the television which was playing news stories from the Reich depicting the Fuhrer. He was about halfway through his beer when the target got up to leave the bar. He paid quickly and walked out, putting his hat on as he stepped outside.

He walked behind the man a few paces then as the man approached a side alley Hans picked up his pace and looked around before pulling the small weapon out and shooting the man under his ribs. The man let out a grunt of pain and slumped into Hans who swiftly got him into the dark alley and fired another shot before setting the body down behind a dumpster.

He pocketed the gun and stepped back into the main alley, looking behind him to see the pretty girl from the bar walking there. He put his hands in his coat pocket and breathed in the cool night air. He looked up suddenly to see another very pretty auburn haired girl approaching from ahead of him. He furrowed his brow, but she walked right past him and he could hear the two women have some sort of intense exchange as he reached the mouth of the alley and turned right into a larger street. He looked around then dropped the cheap gun into the storm drain he was walking by. He breathed out as he put his hands in his pockets and turned to walk on the sidewalk, under the street lights.

Suddenly he heard footsteps fast approaching him and he turned quickly to see the woman from before. Her eyes were wide and he furrowed his brow as he saw terror in them, "Run." She gasped as she passed him. He furrowed his brow then looked up quickly to see three cars come screeching to a halt.

They were dark green cars and their tires were smoking slightly as Kempeitai men poured out of them. He slipped from the light of the street lamp, stood against the dark wall behind the light and stopped moving, his eyes peeled and his body prepared to move should he be forced to. Other than his eyes he was stock still.

Sure enough the men were so focused on the more obvious target of the woman that they completely overlooked Hans' figure as he furrowed his brow deeply. He watched as Kido and Yoshida walked quickly towards the fleeing Trudy and Kido extended his arm and fired two shots. Hans raised his eyebrows, "Guter schuss." He muttered as Kido kicked over Trudy's body then looked up.

Kido looked up, "Sore o kensaku suru!" He barked and the soldiers ran off in all directions as Yoshida bent down to search Trudy more thoroughly. Hans watched as Kido's eyes stopped on the spot where he was standing and Kido took a step towards him. Hans popped his collar and brought his hat low on his face before he stepped quickly away from the darkness and walked back down the alley. Kido watched the figure turn back down the alley, but for a moment the light was behind the man and he could make out a profile. His eyes widened in recognition, "Sergeant, set a perimeter around the Nazi Embassy." He said and Yoshida bowed and walked to a car as Kido stood with his eyes fixed on the alley entrance.

Hans saw the beautiful girl from before and he walked up to her quickly, "You knew the girl?" He asked as her shocked eyes began to fill with tears.

"She's my sister." The girl said in a shaky voice.

"We need to go." Hans said as he looked at her and looked back at the alley, "Miss." He said as he grabbed her arm firmly, "We need to go now." He said and her eyes snapped to him. He raised his eyebrows, "Now." He said and she nodded and they walked quickly down the alley, "Your name Miss?" He asked as he put his arm around her waist and guided her into the crowd of the street.

"Juliana…Juliana Crane."

"And what did your sister give you Miss Crane?" He asked without looking at her as he led her through the crowd and into an adjacent alley, constantly scanning the crowds.

"Wh…what do you mean?" She asked slightly, meekly as he turned to face her. He could tell by her body language that she was wary of him. He buttoned one button on his suit jacket and breathed out as he looked at her.

"I'm Hans," He said as he extended a hand. She looked at him for a moment then took his hand in a surprisingly firm grip, "They were looking for something." He said as he looked at her, "After they…" He said but he stopped as he saw her bite her lip and look at the wall of the alley, "Hmmm." He said then he nodded, "I don't need to know, but allow me to walk you home." He said and she looked at him, "Please, you're in shock and the Kempeitai are on the hunt." He said, "It's more for my benefit then yours." He added with a wan smile.

She let a sad smile cross her lips, "Okay, I'm just down here." She said as she walked down the alley with Hans beside her. He was content to walk in silence but Julianna was slightly intrigued by the handsome young man next to her, "So, did you just move to San Francisco?"

Hans smiled wanly, "The name and accent sets me apart?" He asked as he looked at her.

"And the hair and eyes." She said and Hans nodded.

"Um I did, yes," He said as he looked at her, "Two weeks ago actually. I'm just trying to get my bearing." He said, then sensing that now was the time to get information from the girl he breathed out, "I guess I was just…in the wrong place at the wrong time."

Juliana looked at Hans then nodded, "A film." She said and Hans looked at her, "That's what she gave me." She added, "A film."

"A…" He said then stopped as he remembered the film he'd taken from the Yakuza, "What does it say? What film?" He asked.

"The label says, 'The Grasshopper Lies Heavy'." She said as she stopped by a door leading to a basement apartment.

Hans disguised his true interest and deep thinking with a shrug, "Look I'm sorry about your…"

"Yeah," She said cutting him off.

"Okay, well, good night." He said then walked away without a backwards glance. He put his hands in his pockets as he walked down the street towards the embassy building. He stopped at the edge of the street and narrowed his eyes. He clenched his jaw and nodded as he recalled Kido's eyes on him only an hour before and now saw a thorough and well-manned perimeter set up by the Kempeitai, "He's good." He muttered as he stepped back into the street and removed his hat and coat, shoving them behind a dumpster. He lit up a cigarette and put a hand in his pocket, "Lasst uns Jungs spielen." He said as he walked nonchalantly towards the perimeter.

He heard voices yelling and then men were running up to him. He kept his reactions as they would normally be and he dropped his cigarette and grabbed the first man who rushed at him, using his momentum to throw him aside bodily with a low grunt. Then the next man slammed into him and he swiftly swung his elbow down with all of his strength on the man's chin and he dropped to the ground, "Kare o nokoshi nasai!" A voice said gruffly and the men who were still conscious stepped away from Hans as more men formed a ring around him and pointed their rifles at him. Suddenly Inspector Kido's tall frame appeared amidst the uniforms and he stepped up to Hans, "Oberfuhrer Axmann." He said as his eyes swept over Hans. Smart, Kido thought as he narrowed his eyes, not wearing what he was earlier, probably no evidence on him, he knows I'll have to let him through.

"Inspector Kido I had no idea there was a curfew." He said as he winced slightly and Kido saw him make a slight movement as though his left arm hurt.

"We received credible intelligence of a threat to the Nazi Embassy." Kido said as he looked into Hans' face, "Naturally we set up a defensive perimeter to ensure all of your safety, at least for this evening." He said with a smile that made him seem even more dangerous and never touched his cold eyes.

Hans looked at Kido and it took all of his composure not to smile. Well played, he thought as he kept his expression neutral, "We thank you for it. An easy misunderstanding with…vigilant men on the job I can see how a mistake such as this could occur." He said and Kido nodded at the compliment, knowing full well that it rang false.

"Well, we won't keep you." Kido said, "Shuppatsu no junbi!" He said and the men walked away. Hans looked at Kido for a moment then nodded and walked forwards. As they were passing shoulder to shoulder Kido grabbed Hans' shoulder with his left hand watching as Hans' veins stood out in his neck and he turned slightly more pale confirming Kido's suspicion of an injury, "It can be cold here at night Oberfuhrer," He said as Hans turned his face towards Kido's and they stood practically nose to nose, "If you make nighttime activities a habit, I can suggest a good coat maker." He said and watched Hans closely. As Hans was beginning to open his mouth, Kido tightened his grip slightly and narrowed his eyes. Hans didn't drop eye contact with Kido, he clenched his jaw and nodded slowly as the two men felt mutual respect for one another's intelligence and danger. Kido let go of Hans who promptly walked away from him and into the embassy.

He walked back up to his room and when he closed the door he stood stock still for a time, looking at the floor. He then walked over to the window to see the men leaving and he could make out Kido still standing in the square and looking up at the building. He furrowed his brow and he jumped slightly as the phone rang. He blinked and when he looked out the window once more Kido was getting into a car. He breathed out and walked over to the table, picking the phone up, "Hallo?" He asked but there wasn't any noise. He breathed out and heard two clicks then he furrowed his brow.

"Bestatigen." A voice said.

"Takezo Nakamura, tot, 12 September 1952." Hans said there was a pause then another click.

"Das hast du gut gemacht. Heil Hitler." The voice said.

"Heil Hitler." Hans responded then the line went dead. He put the phone down and breathed out, then poured himself another drink.


	2. Chapter 2

Ch.2

They stood outside a large house surrounded by green lawns and well manicured shrubbery as the sound of children playing reached their ears. Karl looked around and John saw him smile wanly and he nodded, "Well, we won't get any food out here." He said and looked at Karl who nodded.

John opened the green door and walked into the large house, "Honey." He said as he raised an eyebrow, "We're home." He said and after a few moments a woman in a green dress wearing a white apron emerged. She had strawberry blonde hair styled well and she had a very kind smile.

"Back only a few hours after surgery, I cannot believe it." She said as a large golden dog ran up to Karl who smiled and petted him, "Karl I'm not mad at you." She said as she leaned in to kiss John on the cheek.

"Surely a home cooked meal and a soft bed are better for him then a hospital." John said and his wife shook her head.

"The pot roast will be ready in an hour boys." She said then she looked at John who nodded.

"Alright Karl, I'll show you to your bed. I insist that you rest at least until dinner." He said as he stood facing Karl.

Karl looked at him and raised his eyebrows, "Far be it from me to insult my hosts." He said and John nodded and walked upstairs with Karl following close behind him. John led him into a large guest room with the bed already made up and he stood there as Karl walked in, "Thank you John." He said, "And you have my luggage."

"Someone picked it up." John said and watched as Karl sat down and opened the bottle. Karl breathed out, placing three pills on his hand then dry swallowing them, "Let us know if you need anything Karl." John said as he closed the door. Karl furrowed his brow and winced then he pulled off the scrubs and pulled the covers over his bare chest and closed his eyes allowing the drug to work.

"Karl," A woman's voice said and Karl opened his eyes to see a slender woman with auburn hair.

His eyes widened, "Mama," He said then suddenly everything went dark around him and he heard two shots and a scream, "Mama! Mama!" He yelled as he ran forwards into the darkness. It swallowed him up until he could see nothing around him, hear nothing but his own breathing. He covered his eyes with his hands and dropped to his knees. There was no one, he had no one left. He covered his ears trying to block out the silence then he threw his head back and yelled.

Karl woke with a start and sat up quickly, wincing. He breathed heavily for a few moments then he let out a sigh and turned to look at the clock. He scratched the back of his neck and looked at the clock on the bedside table, "Shiza." He said, "Guess no dinner." He said as he saw that it was eight at night. He got up slowly, wincing slightly and quickly popped three more pills. He walked into the bathroom and turned on the shower then he looked in the mirror at his heavily bruised face. He slipped his boxers off then he took a long shower, using the hot water to help him steam the bandages off of his face. He winced and breathed out then put a hand on the inside of the shower and allowed the water to dribble down his face gently. When he was done with the shower he put on brown slacks, a white button-up shirt with a tie and an olive green sweater that he kept unbuttoned. He slipped on loafers and walked downstairs quietly as he combed through his wet hair with his fingers.

As he walked in the dark downstairs area of the house he saw a light on in a room and furrowed his brow, approaching it quietly. He looked through an open doorway to see John standing up and looking intently at a file. John looked up and Karl immediately raised his hands, "Sorry John, I saw the light."

"Not at all," John said as he straightened up, "Not at all Karl, please, come in." He said and Karl stepped into the office, "You look…"

"Much, much worse." Karl finished with a slight smile.

John raised his eyebrows and smiled as he looked at Karl, "Well, it always gets worse before it gets better."

"Hmm," Karl said and John looked at him.

"Oh, before I forget, Helen wrapped up some food for you in case you woke up. It's in the kitchen." He said, "Give me a minute and I'll join you." He said and Karl nodded, taking the hint as he walked out of the office. He walked through the living room and into the dining room to see an entire spread of food laid out.

"Zu viel." Karl said as he shook his head as his eyes slid from the bowl of pot roast to rolls to a salad and then a note that read that there was beer in the fridge.

"She wanted you to feel at home. Bought some Lowenbrau." John said from behind him.

"It's too much, I can just eat it here…"

"I'll join you." John said as he hit the lights and went to the fridge to grab two beers as Karl put the food on the table. He looked up as John opened the beers and handed one bottle to Karl who nodded his thanks as he placed his napkin on his lap, "Quick turn around. I would have liked to show you the city more."

Karl nodded as he spooned some stew in his mouth then raised his eyebrows, "You're a lucky man John. Helen is quite a chef." He said and John smiled as he took a drink of the beer.

"I know it. She's quite a woman." He said as he looked at Karl who ate a few bites then sat back and sipped his beer.

"I'll be passing back through this city on my way to the Reich." Karl said, "I'll probably be staying at the…"

"Oh I won't hear it," John said, "You'll stay with us again."

"John I don't want to…."

"I insist." John said as Karl picked up his fork and knife and looked at John for a moment then nodded.

"Then I accept, of course." He said and John nodded as he watched Karl eat for a moment.

He took a sip of the beer as Karl cut open a roll and buttered the fluffy center, "It should be interesting." John said and Karl looked up at him, "Being in the Pacific States, especially during an event such as the Crown Prince's speech."

Karl nodded as he washed the roll down with the beer, "Have you ever been to the Pacific States, John?"

"I haven't, no." John said as he shrugged slightly, "I'll be interested to hear about your trip." John said and Karl looked at him for a moment as he leaned forward.

"And I take it you enjoy details." Karl said and John shrugged slightly as he sipped his beer.

"Of course." John said.

"Anything in particular you want me to focus on?" He asked and John looked at him for a moment.

"You grew up with the Axmann family didn't you Karl?" He asked and Karl furrowed his brow.

"Hans and I are around the same age, we were friends. Last time I saw him was five years ago in North Africa." He said as he took a sip of his beer, "Why?" He asked and John shrugged.

"He's just been stationed in the Pacific States," He said and Karl nodded.

"You don't know why? He's very successful, he's already an Oberfuhrer at twenty-three, perhaps we needed another senior official in the…"

"Karl," John said as he shook his head, "We both know what Hans Axmann does for the Reich." He said and Karl breathed out and sat back.

"Okay John," Karl said as he looked at him with a furrowed brow, "But I won't spy on Hans for you."

John looked at him for a moment then nodded, "Loyalty isn't a bad quality Karl, but loyalty to the point of destruction benefits no one."

"John you've had to perform duties, you know…" Karl said as he shook his head, "He's a good man."

"What I'm asking you to do is not to hurt Hans." John said as he raised his eyebrows, "On the contrary, if my sources are correct, your actions may save him a lot of pain."

Karl furrowed his brow and looked at John, "What does that mean?"

John looked at Karl, "You leave tomorrow afternoon, you know my home number." He said as he drank the rest of the beer and stood, "If you see anything strange, anything worth being worried about…" He said then he nodded, "Good night Karl."

Karl waited until John had left before he drained the rest of the beer and raised his silverware once more to continue eating. He slept until seven the next morning then he got up and pulled on black trousers with a white shirt and a thin black tie. He looked at his well-cut suit jacket from Germany complete with the party pin on the left lapel and he furrowed his brow. He laced his polished, black leather shoes and put his jacket on, buttoning the top of the two buttons. He used a silver tie clip with the Reich eagle on it then he checked his shave and fixed his hair slightly before he finished packing his bags and carried them down the stairs.

"Oh Karl," Helen said as she walked out of the kitchen, "I would have had Thomas see to those." She said and Karl smiled and shook his head.

"I won't hear of it." He said, "Not after that five star treatment last night." He said as he straightened his suit and winked at the two little girls behind their mother. They giggled and skipped into the dining hall to prepare the table.

"Morning Karl, nice suit." Thomas said.

"Not bad?" Karl asked and Helen stepped forward and plucked his pocket square out. She proceeded to fold it delicately then placed it back into his pocket. He smiled and looked down at it.

"Just needed a woman's touch." She said, "Now come into the dining room boys." She said as she walked into the dining room.

Karl looked at Thomas who was staring, "Something on my face?" He asked and Thomas laughed as Karl clapped him on the back and they walked into the dining room. They sat and John looked up from where he was reading the paper.

"Morning boys." He said as he folded the paper, "Karl I'll drop you off at the airport on my way to work this morning." John said as he looked at them all.

"Perfekt," Karl said and John nodded as he poured himself coffee, no vestige of last night's conversation in either of their faces or demeanors. They ate breakfast with only polite conversation breaking the silence and soft clattering of silverware on porcelain. When they were done, the girls cleared the plates as Thomas gathered his backpack, said goodbye and walked out to catch the bus to school.

"Car's here." John said after a few moments and Karl looked up from the newspaper and closed it, laying it on the table.

"Helen, I cannot thank you enough for your hospitality. I intend on getting you a proper thank you in the Pacific States." He said as she embraced him.

"We'll see you soon Karl," She said with a smile as he nodded and went to pick up his bags.

"Erich will get those for you Karl." John said as a man in a khaki uniform walked into the house.

"Danke Erich." He said as he followed John out to a black town car. The drive to the airport was quiet but when the car pulled up to the front of the building and Erich got out quickly to pull the bags from the trunk John grabbed Karl's arm and they made eye contact.

"Be safe," John said, "The Japanese…" He said as he shook his head, "They aren't like us."

"Thank you John," Karl said as he nodded then he got out of the car and shook Erich's hand as another officer loaded his luggage onto carts and waited patiently.

"Diesen Weg," The man said and Karl nodded and followed him to a private hangar where a large jet, carrying about five other officers was being refueled. As Karl approached the other men clicked their heels and saluted, even a Colonel. Karl nodded and saluted in return.

"I had no idea this event called for such an esteemed guest." A man said as Karl made the rounds, shaking their hands.

"Unzinn, surely a young man doesn't out shine you Oberst Waltheimer." He said.

"If the young man is a genius who brought the Mediterranean farmland into a reality, who helped sketch the new rocket layout, who baffles modern psychiatrists." A tall man with well-kept grey hair and glasses said as he smiled wanly, "Then he may."

"Mengele," Karl said as they shook hands and boarded the jet. The man set Karl's teeth on edge, he thought, as the man sat across from him on the jet and they both took glasses of champagne from a beautiful flight attendant, "How have you been Josef?"

"Very fine thank you, and yourself?" He asked as he leaned forwards, "Drowsy?"

Karl smiled as he pulled out the bottle of pills and took three with his champagne, "Not enough to feel comfortable." He said and Mengele sat back and smiled wanly.

"Nein, es sieht…schmerzhaft aus." He said and Karl furrowed his brow. His tone wasn't sympathetic, he seemed to be more fascinated by the injury, viewing it as an opportunity of some sort. Karl sipped the champagne as the jet moved onto the runway, "You must have a high pain tolerance." He said and Karl raised his eyebrows.

"Not high enough I'm afraid." He said as he looked out the jet window.

"I'm sure." Mengele said and Karl looked at him as the waitress came back and he put his glass on her tray.

"Wir landen zwanzig Minuten." She said with a smile and Karl breathed in and nodded.

"Vielen Dank." He said as he watched the city shrink beneath them and they gained altitude, "Are you here for the Crown Prince's speech, Arzt?" He asked Mengele.

"Nein, nein I have very little interest in politics. I am here to study patients at the U.C. Hospital. We no longer have physical or mental deviants in the Reich. I must travel to the Pacific States to perform…studies." He said and it was all Karl could do to not shudder.

He knew that Josef's work was instrumental in many scientific advancements and that everything he did was for the betterment of the Reich, he was a hero for God's sake, but the guy was strange. Karl had killed some people, more animals than men really, but what this man had done to women, to children…what he'd done to hundreds of men. Karl knew they were all Semites or Slavs or degenerates but some of the tapes that he'd seen in school of Mengele's experiments still made him shudder. It was off-putting to sit in front of a man as comfortable with dissecting a man alive as he was with having drinks with him.

Josef studied Karl for a moment then he looked out the window and crossed his legs and Karl breathed out in relief. He picked up an informational magazine about the Pacific States and began reading but they were beginning their descent before he got past the restaurant pages. The magazine hadn't told him anything he wanted to know. He wanted to know what the local eateries were like, where a good bar was, a place where there weren't any curious green or blue eyes on him watching his every move or insisting on saluting him, "It was nice," Mengele said as they both stood, "Finally getting to meet you in person." He said as the jet pulled into the refueling station and came to a halt.

"Ich glaube wir sehen uns wieder." He said and Mengele looked into his eyes for a moment then walked off of the plane. Karl straightened his suit then walked off of the plane, the last one to leave. As he descended the stairs of the plane he saw immediately who was waiting to pick him up. He felt joy fill him up as he spotted the tall, athletic figure of Hans Axmann in a well-tailored grey suit. He walked up to him and Hans snapped a salute which Karl returned. "Nice to know you've finally learned your place." Karl said seriously as they locked eyes. Suddenly both of their faces broke out in genuine smiles and they embraced warmly.

"You've gotten big!" Hans said as he held Karl by the shoulders, "And uglier." He said as he peered at Karl's face.

"Very funny," Karl said as he shook his head, "So before we go to the official dinner tonight, why don't you show me San Francisco." He said as he climbed into the passenger seat of the car.

"You know, you're supposed to sit in the back." Hans said as he got in the driver's seat.

"That a rule here?" Karl asked with a wan smile as Hans pulled away from the runway.

"Come on, I'm your driver, your bodyguard. Not that you need it," He said as he cast a knowing glance at Karl, "But, you're supposed to be the one who sits in the back."

"We're equal Hans, you're not my servant." Karl said as he looked out the window at the foreign city and landscape.

Hans smiled wanly as he looked at his friend. It was comforting to know that genius, a famous family and good looks had not caused him to change at all, "I know a couple of good bars we can go to if I am reading that right."

Karl raised an eyebrow, "Was I being cryptic?" He asked and Hans smiled as Karl rested his arm on the door and touched his damaged face softly, "Take me to the one where there will be the least amount of Germans."

Hans furrowed his brow and continued driving until he parked the car at the base of the hill below a large white tower, in a docks area of San Francisco. They both got out and Karl looked at the crowds passing him with wonder on his face, "I've never seen so many…" He began and Hans nodded.

"They are the master race over here, not us." He said and Karl looked at him with a furrowed brow.

"Surely not!" He said and Hans nodded and shrugged.

"Different world." He said and they began walking down the sidewalk, "Tough flight?"

Karl breathed out as he reached into his suit and pulled out a cigarette, offering Hans one which he took, "You would not believe." He said as he lit it, then handed his silver lighter to Hans. He took a deep breath in, holding it for a moment as he touched his brow with his right hand lightly, "Dr. Josef Mengele was there for…sparkling conversation." He said and Hans winced as he took a breath in and gave Karl his lighter back.

"Sie scherzen nicht." He said as they entered a bar overlooking the Pacific Ocean, "Two lemon and sakes." He said and Karl furrowed his brow, "Trust me, this is just the thing you need after having your soul sucked out by the Engel des Todes."

Karl nodded as he continued smoking, "I hear he hates that name." He said as their drinks were placed in front of them.

"Well he certainly earned it." Hans said as they raised their glasses.

Karl raised his eyebrows, "Zu Freunden." He said.

"Prost," Hans said. Karl took a sip of the drink and his eyes widened.

"This is good, what is it?"

"The Japanese rice wine and a type of lemon that favors this climate," Hans said then told the bartender to give them two more.

"Enough about my woes, how is your post?" He asked and Hans raised his eyebrows.

"Never a dull moment here." Hans said as he took another long drag on the cigarette and scratched his eyebrow.

"Are you referring to the man in the far corner who has been following us?" Karl asked as he tapped the cigarette against the side of the ash tray.

Hans raised his eyebrows and put an elbow on the bar, "We can start with that. It appears a certain Kempeitai official has decided I am…dangerous."

"Nun, sie haben das richtig." He said and Hans looked at Klaus with a wan smile, "Nicht so schlimm an ihrer Arbeit wie das Reich uns glauben lassen wurde."

"Not even close." Hans said as they drank the next drink and he ordered two beers, "They are…far too competent in their job."

Karl leaned in and furrowed his brow, "This…Kempeitai man, he's causing you problems?" Karl asked.

Hans looked at Karl for a moment, there was nothing but concern in his tone, no accusation or surprise, "He is proving to be a worthy problem." He said as they sipped the beers. Karl raised his eyebrows after they finished their beers.

"That…sake is it?" He asked and Hans nodded, "It's…really something."

Hans smiled and paid for the drinks then they both got up and walked out of the bar and back to the car, "You'll still have two hours to get ready for the party." Hans said.

"Please tell me you're coming." Karl said and Hans smiled.

"I'll be there, but I'll be working." He said and Karl nodded as Hans drove the car into a parking area, "I didn't tell them when we'd be coming back."

"Good, the last thing I need is more pomp and circumstance." Karl said as he got out of the car.

"You have the suite on the eighteenth floor, room twenty." Hans said as he walked Karl to the elevators.

"Wir werden später aufholen." He said and Hans smiled.

"Naturlich." Hans responded as the elevator doors shut. Hans turned as he saw a man in uniform approach him.

The man bent down and said softly in Hans' ear, "Inspektor Kido möchte mit Ihnen sprechen." He said and Hans furrowed his brow.

"Woher?"

"Sein Buro." He said and Hans looked at him for a moment then nodded.

"Wenn ich nicht wieder in zwei Stunden bin. Benachrichtigung Berlin."

"Sir, is there a problem?" The man asked as another man brought him a long coat and hat, "I can send a guard…"

"Nein," Hans said and the man furrowed his brow, "Everything is fine. Precautionary measures. Protocol Hauptsturmführer." He said and the man straightened up and saluted. Hans returned it, then put on his coat and hat and left the embassy. He straightened the brim of his hat and walked purposefully into the city. He looked around, reveling in the normalcy of the lives of those he passed. He knew, however, as he watched a group of friends slapping each other on the back and laughing about some joke, that he couldn't enjoy the walk like he wanted to.

He continued towards a tall building with Kempeitai all around it and Imperial Japanese flags everywhere. He breathed out in preparation for the inevitable confrontation, he was growing tired of being treated as a second class citizen. He stopped at the foot of the steps leading up to the building and looked at it for a moment before he stepped forwards and walked up the steps quickly.

"Yameru!" A young Kempeitai soldier said and Hans clenched his jaw as he looked up at the man, ready for another altercation.

"Sore o nokosu!" Sergeant Yoshida said as he hurried down the steps, "Oberfuhrer Axmann?" He asked and Hans breathed out and extended his hand.

"I don't believe we've formally met, Sergeant…"

"Yoshida." He said as he shook Hans' hand.

"Yoshida." He repeated, "Forgive me Sergeant, but you do not possess a Japanese accent." He said and Yoshida looked at the man.

It was hard to tell with the Japanese, but Hans was sure he had struck a nerve with this man. Hans knew that those Japanese born in the Pacific States, though considered Japanese, were slightly snubbed when it came to the social element of their society. It was much the same as in the Reich. Being born in the American Reich was seen as something to overcome, it was a setback, "The Chief Inspector will see you." He said as he looked at Hans, "If you would follow me."

"You grew up here?" Hans asked him and Sergeant Yoshida looked at him as they walked up the stairs of the building.

"I did, The Chief Inspector's office is just through there." He said as he held out his arm to the left of the staircase they had ascended.

Hans looked to his left to see rows of desks with women secretaries at desks and a large office at the end of the room with glass windows around it, "Thank you Sergeant Yoshida." He said as he looked at the man who promptly bowed and walked down a hallway. Hans breathed in then walked into the large room. He felt eyes on him as he strode purposefully to the open glass door of the office.

Kido stood from his desk as he saw Hans approach and when Hans was at the door he nodded, "Please enter, Oberfuhrer." He said and Hans did so, turning to close the door behind him as Kido lowered the blinds on all of the windows so that they had privacy. Hans walked over to the window in the office and looked out over the streets of San Francisco as Kido continued to lower the blinds. Kido watched as Hans put his hat on a table and breathed out as he pulled out his cigarettes. He held out his arm, offering one to Kido, "I do not smoke." Kido said and Hans looked at him, placing the cigarette back and putting the pack away.

"Filthy habit." He said as he removed his coat and placed it on the coat stand in the corner of the room, "I used to be quite a good track athlete and now…" Hans said as he tucked the pack away and sat in the chair opposite Kido's, "Now there are other more pressing things." He said as Kido nodded.

"I understand you are in charge of the Nazi security during the Crown Prince's visit." Kido said.

"You are well informed." Hans said as he breathed in, "You will, of course, be assisting in the security of the Crown Prince along with the Imperial Guard."

"To that end, Oberfuhrer Axmann," Kido said, "It is in both of our…interests to work together, to a certain extent."

Hans raised his eyebrows, "I quite agree." He said, "I see that the public is allowed to attend this…event."

"That is the…point of it Oberfuhrer." Kido said and Hans looked at him.

"Simply broadcasting the address would, of course, be much safer. Or at least picking a different venue where we can control the crowd more."

"Out of the question." Kido said and Hans let out a wan smile and bit his bottom lip as he nodded.

"So you won't change the conditions surrounding the event itself but you want me to help you plug holes in this colander?" Hans said and Kido looked at him for a moment then breathed out.

"Oberfuhrer Axmann," He said as he took his glasses off and placed them on the table, "I am very well aware of the situation. It is neither of our jobs to pick the event location. It is, however, our duty to make an imperfect situation fool proof." He said and Hans looked at him for a moment and nodded. He stood and went to the chalkboard where Kido had the plans for the security of the event. He looked at it for a moment then nodded.

"That was well said." He said without turning his gaze from the board, "Excuse my…anger, but these events," He said as he traced the plan with his finger, "They can never end well." He said as he looked at Kido who had stood from behind his desk and was cleaning his glasses, "They can only not end horrendously." He said and Kido looked at Hans for a moment, "Guards stationed all along here is correct." He said as he pointed at the image and Kido stepped up to him to see, "And there should be a line of men in between the Crown Prince and the press which you have up front. Obviously they should be screened more carefully due to their large equipment."

"The press box will be screened separately. The foreigners will also be screened separately and their documents will be checked." Kido said as he looked at Hans.

Hans nodded, "Ja, that sounds good. Do you want your men to screen your officials and mine to screen the Reich officials?"

"That is what will happen."

Hans nodded then looked back at the image and pointed at the large buildings around the speech area, "These tall buildings concern me." Hans said and Kido leaned in and looked closer.

"Sodesu ka," He muttered, "Perfect vantage point for a rifle."

"Precisely my thought," Hans said, "I can have some of my men sweep the buildings prior to the speech, then station a man in there if that's agreeable with you." He said and Kido nodded as he looked at the image.

"That will work." He said and Hans nodded.

"The final thing I can see," Hans said as he furrowed his brow and traced the public viewing area with his finger, "I don't want this area completely unsupervised once the public are let in. They aren't officially being screened are they?"

"My men are stationed along here," Kido said as he made a blade with his hand and indicated the corridor they were creating with Kempeitai men, "They are trained to detect suspicious activity." He said as he looked at Hans who was looking at the board. He turned his eyes to Kido.

"You have a lot of trust in your men seeing as it will be us who hang should this fail." Hans said and Kido looked evenly at him as he narrowed his eyes.

"Such is the burden of command." He said and Hans looked at Kido.

Such an honorable man, Hans thought. The men he leads are truly lucky to have him, "Nonetheless we can…alleviate some of that burden if we place men in with the people."

Kido looked at him and furrowed his brow, "My men are not trained as spies Oberfuhrer Axmann."

"That is no matter." He said as he placed a hand in his pocket, "I can place men on this closer border and I will mingle with the crowd."

'Forgive me but you do stand out in the Pacific States."

Hans smiled wanly, "Yes, blonde hair and blue eyes do stand out here. Fortunately, those two things can be…modified." He said then raised his eyebrows, "Is this agreeable with you Chief Inspector?" He asked.

Kido looked at Hans and narrowed his eyes slightly. The truth was that he didn't like the idea of having an armed white man in the perfect vantage position to shoot the Crown Prince, especially Hans who could not miss such a shot. However, he thought, despite what Hans does for the Reich he is a man that does not want a war. Those eyes have seen suffering, Kido thought as Hans looked back at the board, such old eyes in such a young face. He does not wish to kill the Crown Prince, in fact he seems most set on avoiding an international incident, "It is." Inspector Kido said and Hans looked at him.

Hans was slightly surprised by Kido's trust, "Very well. Is there anything else Inspector?"

"There is not." He said and Hans nodded.

"Then I will inform my men." Hans said as he put his coat on and turned to face Kido, "Always a pleasure." He said as he extended his hand.

"Oberfuhrer Axmann," He said as he shook Hans' hand. Hans grabbed his hat and walked out of the office purposefully as Kido watched him go.

In twenty minutes Hans was walking back into the Embassy building, "Sir, das Ereignis wird beginnen." He said and Hans nodded.

"Vielen Dank Hauptführer. Planen Sie ein Sitzung für morgen früh." He said.

"Certainly sir, what should I list this meeting as?"

"Security," He said as he entered the elevator, "Inform the necessary elements." He said as the door shut. He went up to his room and poured himself a drink, downing the American whiskey as he laid out his tuxedo. He put it on deftly then he used the mirror in his bathroom to tie his black bowtie. He breathed in, opened his door and walked down to the large reception room.

Karl was constantly moving from the middle of the event to the outskirts, but it was fairly obvious that the middle of the event revolved around him. Men were praising him, women asking him incessant questions concerning the Mediterranean and occasionally men asked him about the damming project in Gibraltar or about the progress of taming the African. It was exhausting and not at all what he wanted to deal with. As he smiled politely at a distasteful and offensive joke concerning the Japanese his face began to ache horribly, "Ist das nicht die ewige Wahrheit?" Karl asked and the group laughed as the man raised his glass to Karl who smiled and did the same as they each finished off their drink, "Now, if you will excuse me." He said as he held up his empty glass and the crowd laughed and allowed him to pass through them.

As soon as his back was to them all, the smile melted from his face. He put his empty glass on a tray and left the main room. He passed very beautiful, intoxicated women with their equally intoxicated escorts and he clenched his jaw, avoiding the wistful gazes of women he passed and the interested gazes of Nazi officials. He walked out on a balcony, into the cool night air and looked out over the foggy city. He leaned on the railing for a moment and looked straight down at the ten floor drop, contemplating the terror he would feel were he to jump, fantasizing about the blissful moment when he would hit the ground and all of his worries would no longer matter. He shook his head, "Wenn ich nur ein Feigling ware."

"It would be an easier life." Hans said as he walked out.

Karl turned then smiled as he saw Hans, "You following me Hans?" He asked as Hans handed him a cigarette case and a lighter.

"Someone has to." He said as he leaned on the railing and looked out over the city as Karl lit his cigarette, "Just so you know, fall from this height would probably not kill you." He said as he turned to see Karl.

Karl raised his eyebrows as he puffed on the cigarette and handed Hans his case and lighter back, "Hmm," He said as he looked out over the city.

"Are you alright Karl?" He asked as he looked at his friend's profile.

Karl furrowed his brow, "Can I…ask you something Hans?"

"Of course."

"Why has the Fuhrer placed you in the Pacific States?" Karl asked as he looked at Hans, "We both know what your job is, what your presence has preceded in the past."

"I don't…" Hans said as he waved the question away.

"Africa, Eastern Europe, the Mediterranean, South America." Karl said, "Your presence foretells a major movement into a region."

Hans looked at Karl for a moment then breathed out, "I don't know, I've…never known."

"You don't know? You've never wondered?"

"Of course I've wondered Karl, but it isn't my job to know the big picture."

"Well, it is my job." Karl said as he looked at his friend, "I may be eighteen, but after I helped Von Braun with his rocket…worked on a few projects…" Karl said as he shook his head, "It has become my job to look almost solely at the big picture and I have lost sight of the small." He said as Hans furrowed his brow, "It worries me…" He said as he looked at Hans.

"You don't want the…the small picture Karl." Hans said, "It's dirty…" He said as he shook his head, "It means you're a puppet."

"Hans, tell me you are not here to start a war." Karl said and Hans looked at him with a furrowed brow.

"I could be." He said after a moment of silence and Karl shook his head, anger and disbelief on his face.

"Do you not see what that means?" He asked as he clenched his jaw, "Millions of people Hans…millions! Of our own citizens too!"

"And what happened in South America, in Africa?" Hans asked as he shook his head, "I can't think like this, Karl." He said as he pointed at Karl, "And you shouldn't either. You say you're a big picture man, well the big picture is our Reich continuing for a thousand years. Now I trust the orders I receive…do you?" He asked then he turned around.

"No." Karl said and Hans stopped dead in his tracks, "I never trust anything I'm told to do, any reason I'm given for any outcome!" Karl said as Hans turned, "Und du bist ein Narr, wenn du es tust!" He said strongly and Hans took a step towards him with his fist clenched in anger.

"Be who you are meant to be!" Hans yelled and Karl furrowed his brow as they both stood in silence for a moment then Hans breathed out and unclenched his fist, "Be who the Reich needs you to be."

Karl looked at his friend for a moment before he took a long drag of his cigarette and looked at his friend, "It will destroy us both, Hans." He said as he scratched his eye, "It will surely destroy us both."

Hans looked at Karl for a moment then sighed and nodded, "We both knew that when we made our choice in Greece." He said as he looked at Karl, "We knew where the path would lead. Here we are; the question now is whether we will have the strength to do what is necessary to save our Reich. Each of our jobs is a cog in a wheel, Karl. We are both replaceable, but so long as we choose to be in this fight, let's be in it." He said as he pointed at the ground emphatically, "Be in it! With all that we have Karl! We cannot afford to have one foot in the door, prepared to leave at any point. We'd be kidding ourselves if we actually thought we would get far by neglecting our duties."

"So we do our duty Hans, but we cannot afford to remain ignorant to everything around us!"

"What are you asking of me Karl? Should I ask Obersturmbannfuhrer Heydrich why he had me kill a man a few nights ago? Should I get on the telephone right now and ask the Fuhrer why I'm here? Sei ehrlich!" He said and Karl looked at him for a moment.

"Hans, sie wissen, dass ich das nicht frage." Karl said softly as he flicked his cigarette butt off of the balcony, "But wonder…think about the bigger implications your actions could have."

Hans looked at his friend, he had a point, and Hans would never admit it but he had been wondering about his own role in the Reich which was why Karl's words had affected him so much. Karl even seemed to realize this as he looked at his friend with his intelligent blue eyes, "I'll tell you what, I attempt what you ask and you attempt what I ask." He said and Karl smiled as Hans walked back towards him.

"Who knows, maybe we can make one balanced man between the two of us." Karl said with a smile.

"Champagne gentlemen?" A man asked as he walked outside. They both grabbed a glass and leaned on the banister looking out on the city.

"This city is something else." Karl said and Hans looked at him.

"It really is something. It's unfortunate that you're only here for two days." Hans said then watched as Karl raised his eyebrows, drained his glass then took three pills.

"Lassen sie uns betrunken." Karl said and Hans smiled.

"Lasst uns." Hans said.

A few hours later they were in the elevator telling each other stories and laughing extremely loudly. They put their arms around one another as they walked down the hallway, "Schwimm, schwimm, schwimm!" They both sang at the top of their lungs then they shoved each other slightly as Karl laughed and wiped his nose, "Until tomorrow!" Karl said.

"Jawohl!" Hans said and Karl punched him in the chest and Hans laughed slightly as he watched Karl enter the room.

"Sir," A voice said as Hans turned.

"Heinrich, not now." He said with a sigh as he saw a Captain, "What could possibly have happened? They're all drunk and in their rooms." He said and Heinrich nodded.

"Yes sir, you never told me what time the meeting should be."

Hans nodded, "Make it eight." He said, "Thank you Heinrich, have a good night." He said as he stepped into the elevator.

"You too sir." The man said with a smile.

Hans got into his room that night and as soon as he closed the door he undressed, took a steaming hot shower, the alcohol helped numb the pain in his arm but not by nearly enough. He got out of the shower wincing and looking at the wet bandage. He wrapped a tool around his waist and walked into the kitchen. He got out a medical kit and proceeded to cut the bandage off of his arm. He looked at the wound and breathed out, "Perfekt." He said sarcastically.

Karl's alarm rang at six that morning and he promptly shut it off. He groaned slightly as his head ached in pain and he blinked groggily. He got up and slipped on black running shorts with white socks and white sneakers and a white running shirt. He brushed his teeth and shaved then he walked out of his room. His official papers were tucked in one of his socks and he jogged out of the front of the embassy. The fog hung low on the city and he began jogging towards the large park that he and Hans had walked by earlier. He spent the next hour running then he made it back to the embassy. As he was walking towards the elevator he saw Hans come out of it in full uniform. Hans had many medals on his black SS uniform, but the most prestigious one hung around his neck under his tie knot. It was a black cross with the swastika in silver in the middle and silver bordering the black cross. Above the cross were two silver swords crossed below an oak leaf. Diamonds studded the medal and it hung on a red, black and white striped ribbon.

"Karl, I'm surprised you could get out of bed this morning, let alone slip out of here and go for a run." He said as he walked over.

Karl looked at him, "You're angry." He said as Hans shook his head.

"I'd rather not have to call the Fuhrer and explain the death of the Young Fox."

"Ich hasse diesen verdammten Namen." Karl said as he got into the elevator.

"Gut, now I know how to torture you, don't I?" He asked with a smile and Karl shook his head as the doors closed.

Hans straightened his uniform and walked down the hall, "Oberfuhrer Axmann." A voice said and Hans looked to see that a man in a grey uniform had fallen into step with him. The man was older, maybe in his early forties and he had blonde hair with blue-grey eyes.

"Oberfuhrer Diels, good morning. You are attending the security brief Oliver?" Hans asked, "That isn't necessary."

"Perhaps not, but staying informed is always a good thing, ja?" He asked and Hans looked at him for a moment.

"Perhaps not always, but as a general rule…" Hans said as he looked at Diels, "Oliver you have read the brief."

"I did, yes." He said as he looked at Hans.

Hans furrowed his brow, "Nothing has changed."

Diels raised his eyebrows and nodded, "I understand. I do find it interesting you're in uniform Hans, a rare occurrence these days."

"Well if given that latitude surely you too would take advantage of it." Hans said with an insincere smile, "So does Reichsfuhrer Himmler have a particular interest in the security of the Crown Prince?"

Diels' stupid, ignorant and cruel eyes gleamed with hate as he looked at Hans. Hans knew what it was, Oliver was jealous of his quick success in the Reich. There were a lot of men like him in Hans' line of work, "We received intelligence of a heightened security threat posed by the resistance."

Hans looked at him for a moment, "Ja I read the report this morning. Like I said, the security measures will not change."

"Do you think it wise to not adjust to account for this."

"To account for what Oliver?" Hans asked, "Smoke and ghosts? That report has nothing in it but rumors." He said strongly, "And you are out of your jurisdiction." He said and Diels smiled cruelly.

"What exactly is your jurisdiction Oberfuhrer Axmann?" Diels asked as he looked at Hans who nodded, "Who do you report to? The phone?" He asked and Hans breathed in and took a step closer to Diels.

"Believe me when I tell you that should your name ever be said over the phone," He said as he looked Diels straight in the eyes and saw a glimmer of fear, "I would not lose sleep."

"Sir," Heinrich said as he walked up and saluted and Hans and Oliver returned it, "They are ready sir."

"Danke Heinrich," He said and the man nodded then left. Hans turned back to Diels, "So long as I am here I report to the Fuhrer and I am in charge of every Reich citizen's security."

"Officially," Diels added and Hans looked at him for a moment.

"If you have any more questions about my jurisdiction please take it up with Berlin. Until then, you are more than welcome to attend the meeting." He said as he maintained eye contact with Diels for a moment then walked into a large meeting room.

A man with brown hair walked up to Diels, "Did he think your concern was sincere?" He asked and Diels looked at the man.

"Of course not, I'll bring it up to the Crown Prince directly, that should make his blood boil. But you may well be in luck Muller. He will be in a disguise in the crowd and armed, he may well take all of the blame." Diels said as he and the man walked down the hall.

Karl took a hot shower and after taking more pills for his pain he put on a white button up shirt, tied a maroon tie on his neck with a silver eagle pin in the center of it and a silver tie clip, laced up his black leather shoes and tightened his black belt around his thin waist. He poured himself a drink and breathed out as he leaned on the sink of the bathroom and looked out over the city. He used a piece of tape to get stray pieces of cloth of his suit jacket. He folded his red tie square so that only a thin line was showing against the dark suit, then he slipped on the jacket. He looked in the full-length mirror to check that his dark hair was correctly swept to the right side and gelled well. He nodded, put his dark sunglasses in his suit jacket and walked out of the room.

He walked down to the bottom level where Hans was waiting with a car, "You're on time." Hans said as he looked Karl over, "We're just making an appearance at the Pan Pacific Park."

Karl nodded as he sat in the front seat of the car once more and put his glasses on, "He is honoring Admiral Yamamoto, yes?" He asked as Hans got into the car.

"Ja," Hans said as they drove out of the embassy, "It shouldn't take very long, then we'll meet them back here for tea." He said and Karl nodded as he looked out the window.

"The order for entering the Prince's presence for tea was just passed this morning." Karl said and Hans looked at him.

"Ja?" Hans asked, "He gave you the position of honor, the last person to enter the room. That's the way the Japanese do it anyway."

Karl nodded and raised his eyebrows, "I was hoping to have a quiet trip where I could simply…observe."

Hans smiled, "Come now Mr. Rommel, you must have known the Ambassador would extend this honor. You're not wearing your medal." He noticed as he looked at Karl's suit, "You were hoping you wouldn't be introduced to the Prince. That you would be able to hide in the background."

"One can dream Hans," Karl said, "Anyway, everyone will notice when I enter last."

Hans nodded, "Every Japanese person will certainly take notice owing to the fact that we didn't tell them you were attending."

"Last minute addition?" Karl asked as Hans pulled the car over and they both got out, Hans placing his cover on his head as Karl tucked his sunglasses into his suit jacket, "Might I ask why?"

"If the Japanese knew that one of the most talented German minds was visiting, my job could have been a lot more difficult. Not to mention the Resistance forces here are too active and dangerous for my comfort in regards to your safety." Hans said as they joined the large groups of German diplomats lining the path leading into the park that eventually ended at Yamamoto's shrine. Karl watched with interest as a large black car pulled up and two people got out. The man was in a smart black suit and tie, but the woman was in a traditional white kimono with pink flower prints over it and wearing bamboo sandals. Karl only got a few moments of studying them before everyone bowed, lowering their eyes out of respect. As soon as they had passed Hans nodded at Karl and they expertly detached themselves from the crowd and walked back towards their car. As Karl was putting on his sunglasses once more he caught sight of a man in a well decorated Kempeitai uniform looking at him with a cold, analytical gaze.

"Let's get you back so you can put that medal on." Hans said as they got in the car.

Karl furrowed his brow, "It always seems…"

"Karl you earned that medal," Hans said.

"The only medal I have earned is the wound badge Hans."

"We hunted those dissidents down, Karl. We both earned the German cross, do not…" He said as he looked at his friend, "Do not forget what we have done for this Reich."

Karl nodded, "So that others wouldn't have to."

"So that others wouldn't have to." Hans echoed as they pulled up to the embassy.


	3. Chapter 3

Ch.3

Karl looked at his reflection in the mirror. On his right breast hung a large, golden medal with a black swastika in the middle and rays of gold sprouting around the medal. On his left breast, below his pocket square, hung a silver medal with a helmet engraved in it as well as a swastika. He looked for only a moment before his dark brows knit over his green, intelligent eyes. He left his sunglasses on the table, then he walked out and walked into the elevator, ascending to the top floor of the building. As he stepped out of the elevator he saw a line was already forming to enter the receiving room and greet the Crown Prince and Princess personally before the tea commenced. Hans walked up to him, "Alright, you know your place and what to do, I have to go in now."

"Ah, you have the luxury of standing in the background."

"It'll be fine," Hans said, "If nothing else it will be funny to see the Japanese hide their shock when they find out who you are." He said as he smiled and clapped Karl on the back. Karl walked the opposite direction from Hans who walked into a room. There would only be five people at the tea table. It would be him, the Crown Prince and Princess, Trade Minister Tagomi and Ambassador Reiss, but a lot more people were given the opportunity to meet the Crown Prince and Diels would join them for an after tea talk. Karl stood at the back of the line. No one noticed him as he stood leaning against the wall slightly. They were all too concerned with how they looked.

Kido watched as Nazi after Nazi entered the room, bowing too low or not low enough. Disdain was clearly on his face as the end of the line neared. He assumed it would be Ambassador Reiss, so when the young ambassador entered second to last he raised his eyebrows a fraction of an inch, his eyes now fixed on the door, "Reichsminister Karl Erwin Rommel," The man announcing names said and it was all Kido could do to hide his surprise and interest as a thin, tall but strong-looking young man entered the room. He cast warning glances at the rest of the Kempeitai present as they shifted slightly to get a good look at Karl. Kido saw that Karl had a slight limp to his gait and he had his hands clasped behind his back respectfully as he walked forward. Kido watched as the Crown Prince smiled politely, then genuinely as Karl followed protocol exactly and delivered a perfect bow.

"It is a pleasure, Reichsminister Rommel." He said as they shook hands.

"Yorokobi wa, subete watashi no monodesu." Karl responded in perfect Japanese and Kido looked at Trade Minister Tagomi who looked equally as shocked.

The Crown Prince smiled widely, "Your Japanese is beautiful." He said as he drew Karl's gaze to his wife, "My wife, the Crown Princess."

Karl knew better than to take her hand, instead he bowed even deeper than he had for the Prince and all of the Japanese watched in awe as this young, white kid performed the traditional Japanese ritual perfectly. After the greeting was over Kido stepped forward and directed Karl into the dining area. Karl nodded his thanks at Kido and looked at him curiously then flashed a quick glance to Hans who nodded slightly. Karl smiled wanly at Kido and walked into the fully set up table. As Karl was waiting in the room a young SS man walked towards him and Kido watched as Karl put his hand in his pocket and looked at the ground, listening as the SS man said something in his ear. Kido watched as Karl furrowed his brow, "Sind Sie sicher?" He asked and the man nodded.

Karl winced slightly and Kido saw him reach into his suit pocket, pull out a bottle of pills and take three. He breathed out and scratched his eyebrow, "Scheisse." He said softly as he looked at the door, "Nicht jetzt, put the file in my room and I'll handle it later. Danke." He said and the man snapped his heels and walked away.

"Reichsminister Rommel," Tagomi said as he approached Karl and bowed.

"Trade Minister, please it's Mr. Rommel or even Karl. I won't bandy titles with such a well-placed man." He said as he returned Tagomi's bow.

"It is a pleasure to have you in our Pacific States." Tagomi said as he studied Karl's face.

"An unfortunate incident after a…boxing match," Karl said as he pointed at his face, "I assure you it is far better than it looks."

Tagomi nodded, "I regret that we could not have planned something for your visit Reichsminister." He said and Kido listened closely, he knew Tagomi was attempting to tease out a reason why his visit had been kept secret.

Karl smiled politely, "You honor me, but this visit is about your own glorious empire. I refuse to take away from that." He said as the Crown Prince and Princess entered. They all bowed as the two members of royalty took their seats and then they each took their seats as well. Karl was sitting to the right of the Crown Prince with Kido directly behind him and Tagomi directly across from him. As the tea was poured, Ambassador Reiss watched what Karl did carefully and imitated him as they commenced with the ceremony. Once that was over, sweet bean treats were laid out and quiet, polite conversation commenced.

"So Reichsminister, I am very fascinated with the farmland project in the Mediterranean." The Crown Prince said as he looked at the young man searchingly.

Karl raised his eyebrow, "It was a fascinating project." He said as he sipped his tea, "I don't want to bore anyone with details…"

"Not at all," The Crown Prince said and the table all focused on Karl.

Karl nodded and put the glass down, "Well, the Mediterranean communities were entirely focused on trade. That was why the economies were so stagnant and the people suffered for it. Farming brings stability, an abundance of food and it positively impacts Eastern Europe where there is a deficit of good, fertile farmland." He said.

"Were you not concerned about the possible unbalance caused by modifying such a large ecosystem?" The Crown Prince asked and Karl nodded.

"You have it exactly your Highness," He said, "Which is why we drained it slowly and closely monitored the impact. Once it was clear there was going to be no perceivable downside, we drained the rest of the sea overnight."

The Crown Prince nodded, "Truly an amazing feat of engineering and imagining."

"Well I cannot take credit for that."

"You made it happen, Reichsminister." The Crown Prince, "Dreams are smoke until there are men who can make them a reality."

Karl nodded at the compliment as they began speaking about other matters. Kido furrowed his brow as he looked at Karl, the boy is a danger to the Empire, he thought. At the end of the tea the Crown Prince and Princess along with the officials of the state left the room to participate in a talk about the Crown Prince's address. Karl stood, he wasn't required to attend the meeting and he had no desire to. He turned and made eye contact with Kido, "Arigatogozaimash." He said and Kido bowed respectfully as he watched Karl walk towards the door.

As Karl was passing through the doorway he stopped by Hans and Kido furrowed his brow as he watched Karl say something to Hans, "Wenn Sie wissen wollen, wer Sie getötet haben, kommen Sie zu meinem Zimmer nach diesem." He said and Hans clenched his jaw as Karl left the room. Hans was looking at the floor in front of him for a moment before he seemed to come to his senses and he cleared his throat, adjusted his uniform and walked into the room where the Crown Prince and Princess were sitting with Ambassador Reiss and Oberfuhrer Diels. Tagomi looked at Hans as he entered the room and stood behind him. Kido walked into the room and stood right by Hans.

"That is not a topic for the Crown Prince in this setting." Tagomi was saying with very restrained anger and Hans looked around letting out a slight breath of boredom.

"No, it's alright Trade Minister." The Crown Prince said, "But I would hear the reasons for your request from the man actually asking." He said and Diels looked at the Crown Prince.

"We have received reports of renewed efforts by the Resistance and are only concerned about your safety." Diels said as he flashed a quick look at Hans. Kido felt Hans tighten up beside him and heard Hans' breathing stop as he attempted to control himself. He looked sideways at Hans to see that Hans' hands were balled up and his prominent jaw was clenched tight as his face remained stony, but his eyes leaped in anger. Kido furrowed his brow slightly as the Crown Prince looked over.

"Chief Inspector," The Crown Prince said and Kido bowed, "You have seen these reports."

"Hai denka." Kido said and the Crown Prince nodded.

"Your concern is noted and appreciated Oberfuhrer Diels, but my Imperial Guard and the Kempeitai have my security as their primary concern." He said as he stood and everyone else in the room stood as well, "I am here to address the Pacific States as their monarch." He said, "Thank you." He said and Ambassador Reiss and Diels bowed then walked out of the room.

The Crown Prince and Princess walked into a waiting room and Hans breathed out and nodded at Kido, "If there is nothing else." He said and Kido nodded as he watched Hans leave the room quickly.

Hans was furious and he wasn't even attempting to hide it anymore. He walked into his office and slammed the door. He grabbed a lamp and threw it against the wall, "Ich kann nicht…dieser Mann ist ein Parasit!"

He poured himself a glass of whiskey and drank it quickly before he looked at the broken lamp and left the office quickly. He turned and he felt a bump in his body. He raised his eyebrows and looked down to see a Japanese woman in traditional kimono garb. The woman looked up at him with beautiful amber eyes and he felt his stomach do a slight flip.

"Sensei," She said as she bowed deeply, "Taihen moshiwakegozaimasen. Watashi o yurushitekudasai."

"Uh, it's fine, please." Hans said as he attempted to calm the obviously distraught woman.

"Oberfuhrer Axmann, is everything all right?" Tagomi asked as he and Kido walked by.

"I can't…I don't understand…tell her that everything is all right, I'm not angry." He said and Tagomi looked at Hans with interest as Kido relayed the message and Hans looked at the petite woman.

She smiled and bowed to him and Hans smiled in return as he watched her walk away gracefully with Tagomi who politely excused himself. Kido watched Hans for a moment then breathed in, "May I speak with you?" He asked and Hans looked at him for a moment then nodded and gestured to his office. Kido walked into the red-carpeted, hard-wood walled office. He immediately saw the broken lamp and he raised his eyebrows in interest slightly as Hans closed the door behind him. Hans' chestnut desk was to the right of the office and behind the desk were pictures of Hans with family as well as Reich officials and some displayed war medals.

Hans poured himself another drink, "Can I tempt you?"

"No," Kido said then he smiled and narrowed his eyes, "Thank you." He said and Hans nodded as he put the drink down and watched as Kido turned away from his desk to study the books he had on his wood bookcase on the other side of the office. Hans sipped his drink and leaned on his desk as he took a few breaths and attempted to lower his blood pressure but every time he thought about the incident he felt anger, "Oberfuhrer Diels does not speak for you I assume." Kido said as he continued to look at the books. Hans breathed out as he controlled himself.

"Oberfuhrer Diels is a competent officer of the Reich, however in this circumstance, he does not speak for me." Hans said and Kido looked at the young man. Hans was an intelligent, dangerous man who was very good at his job, but he was young and Kido knew the passion of young men.

Kido nodded, "Even with the appearance of the Reichsminister?" He asked as he narrowed his eyes slightly, "His presence would explain the recent Resistance activity." He said and Hans looked at Inspector Kido, he knew that Kido was angry at not being filled in as to Karl's visit.

"The Resistance did not know about Karl's presence here." Hans said as he raised his eyebrows.

"They do now." Kido said simply as he walked over to Hans, "Do you mind?" He asked as he gestured slightly to the medals behind Hans' desk.

Hans took another drink and nodded, "Please," He said and Kido walked by him as he picked his drink up and walked to the window, looking out, "You understand why we did not spread across channels that a Reichsminister would be attending this event. Forgive me Chief Inspector but the Resistance is much more active in the Pacific States then in the American Reich."

Kido bent low over a medal then breathed in, "Long Beach?" He asked as he looked at Hans, "You were there?"

Hans looked at him, "I was, towards the end. We landed at Virginia Beach and my unit, under Field Marshal Rommel punched through the Rockies. Eventually into California."

Kido nodded, "You were a sergeant?" He asked and Hans looked at him.

"At the time," He answered.

"You were sixteen." Kido said as he looked intently at Hans and Hans looked at him for a moment then he nodded.

"I was." He said as he drained the glass and put it down, still looking at Kido, "You were there?" He asked and Kido looked at him for a moment then looked back at the medal.

"I was." He said simply. Hans nodded and looked at him with a furrowed brow.

"It was a different city."

"It was a different world Oberfuhrer." Kido said as he smiled wanly and Hans looked at him.

"We will not change security, will we Chief Inspector?"

"No," Kido said as he looked at Hans.

Hans nodded and returned Kido's intense gaze, "Both of us are on the line now, Inspector." He said as he furrowed his brow, "So believe me when I say that all relevant facts are being made available to you."

Kido walked up to Hans and looked at him for a moment, "Until tomorrow Oberfuhrer." He said then nodded his head slightly and walked out of the room.

Hans watched him go for a moment then he furrowed his brow as he looked at the door. He walked out of his office and went up to his room. He closed the door and locked it as his eyes fixed on the tape that he'd picked up a couple nights ago.

Karl sat in his room as he looked at the file he'd been delivered. He'd read the whole thing already and he was waiting for Hans to come here. However, it had been an hour and a half and it was becoming very clear that Hans was not interested in finding out who he had killed. Karl's eyes kept flicking from the file to the phone and after a few moments he got up and dialed a number, "Hello?" A voice asked.

"John," Karl said then breathed out and the voice on the other end breathed in.

"I'm glad you called Karl." John said and Karl breathed in.

"I'm not." Karl said, "Listen John, I just found intelligence that Reinhard had Hans killed a high-ranking Japanese scientist."

"Do you have a name?" John asked.

"Takezo Nakamura," Karl said and he paused for a moment, "Listen John, he doesn't know why he kills these people, he doesn't know why he's even stationed here. He's not a danger to the Reich."

John was silent for a moment then he breathed in, "Thank you Karl." He said then the line went dead. Karl put the phone back and sat down heavily. He put his head in his hands feeling a deep shame for betraying his friend.

Hans stood with a drink in his hand as he watched a black and white film play in front of him. It was some sort of trial with Americans and British making opening remarks. He furrowed his brow as he looked closer at the people being prosecuted then his eyebrows shot up as he recognized Rudolf Hess, Alfred Jodl and Hermann Goering, "What the hell…" He said then the tape suddenly flashed to Goering dead on the floor of a cell, Hess dead in a cell, and Jodl hanging by his neck. Then the film panned to a fully built Washington D.C. with an American flag flying over it. Hans dropped the glass as the tape ran out and continued flipping. He immediately went to the phone and dialed a number, "Heinrich, get me everything we know about films labeled the Grasshopper Lies Heavy."

"Jawohl." Heinrich said and Hans hung up the phone and went back to his film reel and replayed the film once more.

The next morning Hans got up and he put on a dark suit and a long brown coat. He spent time putting on a brown wig and making it seem completely natural then he put hair over his light eyebrows to make it look darker and he put brown glass lenses in his eyes. He put a hat on and walked out of his room. He went to Karl's room and knocked and Karl opened it, "Can I help you?" He asked.

"Well, the disguise works," Hans said and Karl's eyebrows shot up.

"Wow," He said as Hans stepped into his room.

"I wanted to tell you that I'll be in the crowd throughout the event." Hans said as Karl looked at him.

"Is this real hair?" He asked as he touched the wig.

"Listen very closely please," Hans said intently and Karl looked at him and nodded, "If anything happens Karl, anything." He said as he raised his eyebrows, "There will be a window of a few moments where you need to get out and get to the Embassy, do you understand me."

"Hans what are you telling me?"

"I don't think anything will happen, do not get me wrong but I am…" Hans said then swallowed, "We need to have a plan for your escape, for your safety if something should happen. Trust no one but myself and Heinrich, do you understand?" Hans asked and Karl looked at him for a moment with a furrowed brow.

"You're scared."

"I am…I am not comfortable with your security." Hans said, "And there is a real danger in this event." Hans said then he looked at Karl and smiled, "Perhaps I am…perhaps I am overreacting."

"Of course you are," Karl said with a smile as he put a hand on Hans' shoulder, "It's your job."

Hans looked at his friend and smiled wanly, "Ja."

"Viel Gluck." Karl said and Hans nodded then left the room. Karl shut the door and furrowed his brow. He could see the fear and worry in Hans' face and it worried him to see it.

Hans walked out front of the Embassy to see the security team was already at work setting up a perimeter with the Kempeitai, "Sir." Heinrich said as he saluted Hans.

"No saluting Heinrich," Hans said as he looked around as his men surrounded him, "Alright gentlemen, you know what to do, set up a security perimeter and make it foolproof. Have your team sweep the buildings Bill. Anything else?"

"Sir," Bill said, "Diels' man Muller wants to come along on the sweep."

Hans breathed out, "Fine, bring him along and keep a close eye on him, ja." He said and Bill nodded. They all disbanded and Hans turned to Heinrich as they left, "I told the Reichsminister the plan. If anything happens Heinrich, you don't look at what, you don't stop, you grab Reichsminister Rommel and you get him into the embassy, ja? You use whatever means necessary." He said as he raised his eyebrows, "Do you understand, you do whatever you have to do."

"Jawohl," Heinrich said and they both turned to watch the crowd begin trickling into the public viewing area, "Sir, where are the Imperial Guards?"

"They are always with the royal family. Their presence will be the first indicator of the Crown Prince and Princess' arrival." Hans said as he nodded and stood slightly protected from view behind a pillar, "Alright Heinrich, do your job and hopefully we all make it out of this event unscathed." He said as he shook Heinrich's hand. Heinrich nodded then grabbed Hans roughly and guided him to the injection point.

"Next time have your papers readily available!" Heinrich said then threw him bodily into the crowd.

Hans straightened his coat up and clenched his jaw as he took a step towards Heinrich but an older member of the crowd grabbed Hans' arm, "It's not worth it son." He said as he looked at Hans closely and Hans breathed out and looked at the older man and nodded.

"Thank you." He said in a flawless American accent.

The man patted his back and Hans walked in amongst the public and joined the crowd seamlessly. Kido, from his post facing the crowd was attempting to see where Hans was. His eyes swept the crowd intensely but he couldn't tell where Hans was at all. Hans could see Kido scanning the crowd and he smiled slightly as he studied everyone near him intently. Suddenly he saw the arrival and posting of the Imperial Guard and all of the VIPs sat in preparation for the speech. Tagomi walked up to the microphone and addressed the crowd, "It is now my distinct pleasure to introduce you to your Crown Prince." He said and the Crown Prince walked out to applause.

Hans moved amongst the crowd continuously as the Crown Prince began his speech and he studied their body language and their movements. He suddenly saw something that caused his breath to catch in his throat. Across the crowd a man with brown hair and thick framed glasses was pulling some type of firearm from his coat. Hans began to move through the crowd towards him, pulling his own weapon discreetly as he struggled to move through the crowd. As he focused on the man and his movements two loud shots rang out. Hans ducked instinctively and raised his weapon as he looked around the crowd in shock. He saw Kido rush up on stage where the Crown Prince was lying and then he saw Heinrich getting Karl out of there as though it were all in slow motion. Suddenly he heard yelling around him and something hit him on his left side with such force that he fell to the ground, the air knocked out of him as he gave a slight oof upon impacting the pavement. He got up quickly, his heart beat drowning out all other noises around him. He could see Kempeitai men closing in and he immediately took off running as quickly as he could. Those edgy, inexperienced young men had just watched their God get shot in front of their eyes and he was an armed man in disguise, they would kill him before he had any chance to explain.

The Kempeitai chased him, but Hans had the man he'd seen in his sight and he was pursuing the guy ruthlessly. Eventually the Kempeitai lost him amid the frenzied crowds of San Francisco just as Hans caught up with the man, grabbed his arm and swung him into an alley wall behind a dumpster. Hans gripped the man's shirt and pulled his gun, holding it under the man's chin. The man was breathing heavily as he looked at Hans, "You…your name!" He said and the man breathed in shakily.

"Who the hell are you?" He asked and Hans shook him as he gritted his teeth.

"Considering you're the one who had a firearm in the vicinity of the Crown Prince I'd answer the questions! Your name." He growled.

"Frank…Frank Frink." He said and Hans furrowed his brow.

"Why the gun Mr. Frink?" He asked and Frank breathed out.

"I didn't fire it."

"Do you know who shot the Prince?" Hans asked as he shook Frank and he felt a drop of water as the grey clouds began to release their water, "Do you? Are you involved?"

"No, no!" Frank said, "I was going to shoot him, the Japanese, they ruined my life! But I…I couldn't do this." He said and Hans looked at him intensely for a moment then he breathed out and ripped his hat and wig off, removed the colored lenses and took off the fake eyebrows as he holstered his weapon. Frank looked at him for a moment, "You're a fucking Nazi?"

"Yes and you're a Jew Mr. Frink." Hans said, putting an emphasis on his last name as he looked at his side to see that it was covered in blood. He put his right hand over it, attempting to apply pressure, "A Jew who should run away and dispose of that weapon." He said as he looked at Frank. Frank furrowed his brow and looked at Hans for a moment.

"You're hurt." He said and Hans looked at him.

"Do not mistake my kindness for acceptance of you or your people." Hans said as he looked him over for a moment. He breathed out and shook his head, "Leave, before I change my mind." He said and Frank turned and ran off. Hans leaned on the alley and looked at his blood-soaked shirt and coat. He breathed out and furrowed his brow, he couldn't feel the pain but that would come soon, for now he was completely screwed, "Okay, I can't go to the hospitals because they will report the injury to the Kempeitai who will arrest me validating the rumor that a Nazi agent attempted to kill a Japanese royal which will be an act of war. I can't go back to the Embassy because there is no way I'll get in without being stopped and then, once again a Nazi agent will have committed an act of war." Hans said then he clenched his fist and slammed it into the alley wall, "Fuck! Fuck!" He yelled as he breathed out, "Okay, alright." He said as he closed his eyes for a moment.

He opened them and turned his blue eyes up to the sky as he breathed out and sadness marred his handsome features. He nodded as he kept his right arm across his stomach, "Es ist die Zeit." He said softly and nodded as he pushed off against the wall. He walked purposefully towards a phone booth and inserted some coins, dialing a number.

"Hallo, Reichs-Botschaft." A female voice.

"Das ist Oberführer Axmann, sagen Hauptsturmführer Heinrich Kant dass ich den Angriff selbst untersuche." He said and the woman was silent for a moment and he could hear a pen scratching, "Tell no one else and explain to him that I will not be able to be reached for a few weeks."

"Ist das alles Herr?" She asked and Hans leaned heavily on the phone box as he closed his eyes tightly and grimaced.

"Ja, ja das ist alles." He said then hung up the phone. He breathed out and stepped out of the phone box and looked around at the people walking through the rain. He was beginning to feel light-headed from the blood loss and he knew it was only a matter of time before he could no longer move because of the pain and blood loss. He dialed another number on the phone, "Das ist Hans Axemann und ich brauche eine Adresse." He said.


	4. Chapter 4

Ch.4

Kido opened the door to his large, single story home and stepped out of the rain for the first time that day. He closed the door behind him and stood in the doorway, stock still with his eyebrows furrowed and his clothes dripping. He took his cover off and placed it on a table by the entrance as he took his glasses off and closed his eyes, breathing out. He took his shoes and socks off and slipped on black house slippers. He went deeper into the house, took a shower and changed into a grey house kimono with a back belt around his waist. He cleaned his glasses off then went into the small kitchen to see a prepared meal from his house-cleaner. He sat down with a pair of chopsticks, ate a few bites then put the chopsticks down and sat back, looking out of the window to his right at the heavy rain.

He looked up suddenly as he heard a knock on his door. He furrowed his brow, he thought he would be able to at least have the night to think through how to approach the issue, but it appeared not. He walked to the door and opened it. A man stood on his porch looking out at the street and suddenly he turned and held a pistol to Kido's face and Kido got a good look at the man, "Oberfuhrer Axmann." He said evenly.

Hans was struggling to even hold the weapon up as his injury sucked the last of his strength from him, "I did not shoot your Crown Prince." Hans said and Inspector Kido looked at him with a grimace as he took in the whole image, "If you detain me it will be confirmation enough that a Nazi agent shot him which will start a war." He said and Kido furrowed his brow.

"That is correct." Kido said, "What do you suggest as an alternative Oberfuhrer Axmann, considering your wound."

Hans breathed out and nodded then put the pistol on safety and grabbed it by the barrel, handing it to Kido. Kido furrowed his brow for a moment then took the weapon as Hans leaned on the wall and removed a blood soaked hand from the folds of his suit, watching it shake for a moment before he replaced it over the wound. "If a senior Nazi were to be shot and killed by the same attacker then there would be no question that we did not commit an act of war." He said as he breathed out and let out a slight laugh, "I'll bleed out soon anyway Inspector." He said as Kido furrowed his brow and looked from the weapon to Hans in understanding as he realized what this young man was proposing, "Finish it now and explain to my Embassy that while I was investigating the shooting, the attacker killed me." Hans said as he breathed out and shook his head, "This is the only way to prevent a war, Chief Inspector." Hans said, "I am willing to die for my country, are you willing to bear the burden of this lie for yours?"

Kido raised the weapon and Hans breathed in and clenched his jaw as he looked at the gun for a moment then he turned his eyes to the heavens as Kido watched him intently. Hans swallowed as his heart pounded loudly, then he heard a click and looked down in surprise to see Kido looking down at the weapon as he put it on safety and cleared the chamber. He placed the weapon on a table just in his home as Hans watched him. Kido looked up evenly at the soaking wet young man and he looked at Hans' side evenly as he furrowed his brow and looked up at Hans with a grimace on his face.

Hans furrowed his brow as he grunted in pain and pushed himself off of the wall, "This is the only way." He said as his eyes widened, "Shoot me!" He said and Kido looked at him with sympathy in his eyes. Hans took a step forward and grabbed Kido's arm as Kido looked up from Hans' blood-stained hand into his intense blue eyes, grimacing, "This is the only way. I can't go to a hospital. I'm going to die anyway! Chief Inspector you have to do this." He said and Kido looked at him intently.

"Takeshi," He said and Hans raised his eyebrows in surprise as he let go of Kido.

He nodded, "Hans," He said and Kido nodded.

"I am taking responsibility for you now." He said and Hans furrowed his brow in confusion.

"I don't understand what's happening." Hans said.

"You had an idea that could work, but the Crown Prince will not die." He said and Hans raised his eyebrows in surprise, "Which means you don't have to either. I will take responsibility for your fate now." He said and Hans shook his head.

"That isn't…" Hans said as he winced, "He took two bullets in the chest." He said and Kido nodded.

"Please." He said as he stepped aside and watched Hans closely. Hans looked at him for a moment then took a step forward and fell on his knees as his head spun. He hung his head slightly and began breathing heavily. The blood loss from the day and the release of all of the emotions surrounding what he almost did broke upon him and were nearly incapacitating. Kido bent down and helped Hans up and into the house. He closed the door then led Hans to an area of open floor. He helped Hans lie down on his back then he removed his coat and unbuttoned his suit jacket and the buttons on his white shirt to reveal an extremely muscular and well-defined chest.

Hans was up on one elbow and he watched as Kido slowly peeled the blood-soaked shirt away. Kido watched as Hans winced and laid down flat, putting his elbow over his eyes and clenching his other fist, "It went straight through." Hans said, "Didn't it, and didn't hit anything important."

"Hai." Kido said as he looked critically at the bullet wound. He got up and walked into his kitchen, pulling out a field medical kit and returning to Hans' side. He pulled out a bottle of disinfectant and placed his fingers on either side of the wound. He could feel Hans' breathing but he ignored it as he poured the bottle's contents over the wound then used his fingers to open the wound up and allow the liquid to get into it. Hans immediately went rigid in pain as his jaw clenched shut and the veins in his neck stuck out. Kido could see every muscle defined on Hans' chest as he breathed shallowly in an attempt to control the pain. After a few moments Kido saw Hans breathe out and then begin breathing heavily as though he'd run an athletic event. Kido knew he would have to disinfect it once more before he attempted to stop the bleeding. Kido put his hand on Han's side once more and Hans breathed in.

"Aufs neue? Grausamer Bastard." Hans muttered as he prepared himself once more and he felt the horrible pain. Kido was impressed for how long Hans was able to hang onto consciousness but, inevitably the pain overcame him and he heard Hans take a breathe out as his eyes closed and his body went slack. Kido put two fingers on Hans' neck and felt the strong heart beat that he had been hoping to feel. He set to work methodically. He rolled Hans on his side, disinfected the larger exit wound then he got out the sterile bandages. He furrowed his brow, he needed to stop the bleeding and quickly. He rolled up a bandage and shoved it carefully but forcefully into the wound itself and proceeded to wrap a bandage around Hans' torso as he watched Hans closely. He laid Hans down and looked at the blood around him. He moved Hans slightly, used his soiled clothes to get up most of the blood then he got out a bucket and rags. It took the better part of the evening to get the blood completely gone and then he put a blanket over Hans. He breathed out and furrowed his brow as he looked at the young man.

He walked into the next room and washed his hands then he went back to where Hans was lying unconscious. Kido watched as Hans twitched slightly in his sleep then hugged his chest and began shivering. Kido looked out of the window at the rising sun and he quickly walked into his room and changed into his typical black suit. He walked to the phone and dialed a number, "Watashi wa anata no sabisu ga hitsuyodesu." He said then he hung up the phone and breathed in as he straightened his suit.

He walked through to the house and sat on the couch by Hans who was shivering and wincing in his sleep. He watched as Hans breathed in, "Uberall, sind sie uberall." He muttered feverishly and Kido furrowed his brow, "Americans, I think." He muttered and Kido winced as he realized where Hans' feverish mind had gone. He stood up suddenly as the doorbell rang and he opened the door to reveal a tall Japanese man with short, gelled hair in a grey suit and a black briefcase.

"Takeshi." He said as he nodded, "This had better be as urgent as it sounded." He said in an American accent.

"Come in." Kido said brusquely as he stepped aside. The man stepped out of his shoes and into house slippers laid out for guests then he followed Kido into the room where Hans was lying, suffering on the ground.

He raised his eyebrows as Kido looked from Hans to the man, "This is unexpected." He said and Kido looked at him.

"Kanzen'na sairyo." Kido said and the man nodded.

"Per my agreement with the Kempeitai, so long as I am allowed to continue my work unimpeded." The man said as he looked at Kido. Kido straightened his suit, gave a curt nod and left his house. The man watched him go then put his briefcase on the ground next to Hans and looked at him.

"Is it the Japanese? Or the...the Americans?" Hans asked and the man furrowed his brow and looked at Hans for a moment.

"Can you hear me?" He asked as he knelt by Hans and lifted his eyelids then he felt his forehead with the back of his hand and shook his head as he looked at the bloodstained bandage. He opened his briefcase and prepared his medical tools, then he began to undo the bandages. As he unraveled the last bandage to reveal the wound with the bandage stuffed in it, Hans reached up and grabbed the man's wrist. The man looked down at him to see that Hans was obviously fighting for consciousness.

"Who are you?" He asked and the man looked into Hans' blue eyes.

"Dr. Pryce," He said and Hans furrowed his brow then pulled him in quickly and grabbed him by his throat. Pryce made a stifled choking noise then cleared his throat, "Chief Inspector Kido called me." He managed to force out. Hans looked at him for a moment then let go of his neck and wrist and breathed out. Pryce rubbed his throat as he looked at Hans who was eyeing him warily, "I need to get the bandage out of your wound. Inspector Kido remembered his field training well enough, but when I remove it…" He said as he took out his tools and looked at Hans, "It's going to hurt." He said as he handed Hans a straight piece of bamboo. Hans looked at him for a moment then nodded and extended his arm, taking the piece of wood from him.

He breathed out and put the piece of wood in between his teeth as he laid his head down and reached above him to grip the legs of the sofa. He breathed in as he saw Pryce lean in with the tools. Pryce looked at him for a moment, "Ready?" He asked and he saw Hans flex and tighten up his body. He raised his eyebrows and inserted the probe and the surgical tweezers into the wound. Hans threw his head back and all the muscles in his chest and arms stood out as he gripped the sofa legs and flexed in agony. His jaw clamped down on the piece of wood as Pryce heard the yelling through the wood. Pryce pulled the cloth out slowly, attempting to minimize disturbing the already present clotting that had taken place. When he pulled the last of it out, the wound leaked a little blood and he put a bandage over the wound carefully as Hans relaxed and went completely limp as he panted lightly. Pryce looked at him and nodded as he reached into his bag and pulled out a bottle of alcohol.

Hans looked at it for a moment then breathed out and put his head back, "Du verappelst mich." He muttered.

"Nicht, wenn sie nicht an einer infektion sterben wollen." Pryce said in perfect German and Hans looked at him as he laid out his tools fastidiously.

"Gut, ein Japaner, der Deutsch kennt," Hans said as he breathed out shakily, "And I thought the strangeness in my day was finally over."

"American." Pryce said and Hans furrowed his brow as he looked at Pryce once more and Pryce looked at him, "I wasn't born in Japan, my parents raised me here in America."

Hans looked at him then breathed out, "I'd identify as Japanese if I were you….better life, better outcome."

Pryce looked at him for a moment, "I didn't bring local anesthetic, you understand? It's going to be painful and you'll eventually succumb to the overwhelming pain and lose consciousness." He said and Hans raised his eyebrows.

"Is there an alternative?" He asked and Pryce looked at him for a moment then he quickly put his hand over Hans' mouth and put his hand over Hans' wound applying direct pressure to the injury. Hans attempted to fight him, but the shock of the action was too quick and he passed out in moments.

Pryce raised his eyebrows as he poured the alcohol into the wound and all over his hands, "Yes, there is." He said to himself. He proceeded to stitch and bandage the wound correctly, sterilizing it the whole time. When he was done he took his tools into the kitchen and began carefully cleaning each one before he returned it to its proper place in his bag. When he walked out, Hans was waking up slowly and Pryce could tell he was in pain because he wasn't saying anything, he was just staring at the ceiling, "You fought in the war."

Hans breathed out shakily and his side trembled slightly, "I did."

Pryce nodded as he rolled down his sleeves and fixed his tie before he took a seat on the sofa by where Hans lay on the ground, "You must have been young."

"A field doctor, right?"

Pryce looked at him, "Ages ago, another life ago."

Hans breathed in and sat up slowly as Pryce watched him. He put his left arm out and used it to help him sit up. He breathed heavily for a moment then he breathed out and pushed himself to his feet. He winced and looked down at his side, "You're good."

Pryce raised his eyebrows, "If that counts for something."

Hans looked up at him and furrowed his brow, "I've offended you somehow?"

"I know what you do, Mr. Axmann." Pryce said and Hans looked at him, "Though I should not throw stones in a glass house." He said and Hans looked at him for a moment then furrowed his brow and looked around.

"Where are my clothes?" He asked as he realized he was bare-chested.

"You're not going anywhere." Pryce said as he stood, "You've been unconscious all day, you've lost a lot of blood, you're not ready to be out."

Hans looked at him for a moment then shook his head, "Do you know?"

Pryce looked at him, "What are you so determined to discover?"

"I've lost a day already, I will not lose more time." Hans said as he looked around.

"So you didn't shoot the Crown Prince after all." Pryce said and Hans stopped looking for a moment and looked at Pryce.

"No, I didn't." Hans said then he continued looking.

Both of the men looked up as the door opened and Kido walked in. He looked at Hans and nodded at Pryce, "You may go." He said simply. Pryce nodded and stood, grabbing his suitcase.

"If you need to find me, I'll be at the university research medical facility."

Hans looked at him and furrowed his brow, "What are you and Josef doing over there?"

Pryce smiled, but the facial expression never touched his eyes, "It was a pleasure to meet you Oberfuhrer Axmann, if you should ever feel inclined to drop by my laboratory, you are more than welcome." He said then he turned to Kido, bowed and walked out. Kido had never taken his eyes off of Hans. Hans straightened up and looked at Kido.

"I have taken responsibility for you," Kido said simply and he pointed at a cabinet. Hans looked at him for a moment, then he nodded and went to the cabinet where his clothes had been laundered and were hanging. He put on his shirt and began buttoning it, "I will go with you." Hans furrowed his brow but Kido raised his eyebrows slightly and Hans nodded, acknowledging that he would remain silent, "The identity of the individual shot was never confirmed." He said and Hans looked at him for a moment, frozen stock still as he listened intently, "It would be most suspicious if our great nations were not working together to find the culprit." He said and Hans breathed out as he closed his eyes and bowed his head in relief. Kido watched him as he brought a hand up to his neck and took breaths, composing himself.

"I thought…" He began but his words caught in his throat and he turned quickly. Kido looked away as Hans breathed out and turned back around, "The shot was from a long-range rifle." He said and Kido nodded as he produced a file from a briefcase and handed it to Hans. Hans looked at the file for a moment then at Kido with a surprised look on his face. Kido looked at him and nodded and Hans opened the file and furrowed his brow.

"Your men." Kido said after Hans looked at the file for a moment and Hans looked up from the file with a furrowed brow and he locked eyes with Kido.

"Nein, aber meine verantwortung." He said and he nodded, "I will take the responsibility for this, but more importantly, we must have the truth of it."

Kido watched as Hans ignored his own pain and got dressed quickly, "The buildings are clear now."

Hans nodded as he looked at Kido, "There have been people all through there, it won't be easy to see what happened."

"The truth is never easy to see and is often harder…" Kido said as he looked up at Hans and grimaced, "To accept."

Hans looked at him and shook his head as he breathed out and handed Kido the file. He put a hand in his pocket, "Let's do what must be done."

Kido and Hans left the house and walked down the street in silence, both deep in thought. As they approached the building, Hans furrowed his brow and looked up at it, "Fourth floor." Kido said as he opened a door into the building. They walked up the stairs and Hans walked into the room they estimated the firing line had come from. He looked around and immediately he saw what he was looking for. He walked up to the window as Kido watched him and walked up next to him. He ran his finger along very small grooves at the window sill. He breathed out and looked at Kido for a moment then he looked out the window to see that four cars had pulled up and men in suits were piling out of them.

He furrowed his brow as he saw them point up at him then run into the building, "We seem to have a complication." Hans said as Kido walked to the window and saw them as well.

"Teiko," He said as he pulled a pistol from his coat.

Hans looked at him and nodded and he put a hand on Kido's shoulder as Kido walked into the hallway, leading with his pistol. Hans looked past him and he saw a body just as Kido fired two shots, felling the man. He heard a slight shuffling from a hallway to his left and he turned just in time to see a man pointing a weapon at Kido's back. He shoved Kido forward slightly and the shot rang out, missing him by inches. Hans ducked and ran at the man as fast as he could. He dealt a swift, devastating blow to the man's throat and he took the weapon from the man's hand quickly as he fell to his knees, his hands clasped around his neck as he gurgled slightly. Hans kicked him square in the chest and turned quickly with the gun raised. He proceeded back towards Kido and joined him.

"You know martial arts." Kido said as they continued along the hallway.

"No," Hans said as they approached the stairwell, "I've traveled a lot, seen…" He stopped as he fired two shots at a man who had peeked from behind a corner, "Seen many fighting styles and picked up a few techniques along the way, that's all." He said then he breathed out and straightened up as they stopped in a hallway by the stairwell.

Kido grimaced and looked at Hans, "They are all around."

Hans nodded, "They are." He said and Kido nodded.

"We want the Nazi, Inspector!" A voice called up, "He walks out here and we leave with him!"

Kido furrowed his brow and looked at Hans who was staring at the pistol in his hands, "Ja, and who is that?" He asked.

"Not important, you have a minute to make your choice. Either you come down unarmed, or we go up, armed." He said and Hans smiled as he nodded and let out a low chuckle.

He raised his eyebrows and looked at Kido, "They're not shooting to kill me Inspector. They don't want me dead." He said and Kido furrowed his brow, "Find a phone." He said as he handed Kido his weapon, "And hole up in a room until your men get here." He said then he breathed in and nodded, "My debt is cleared." He said as he stepped forward, "I am coming out, I'm not armed!" He said and Kido looked at him for a moment then he bowed and Hans furrowed his brow and proceeded towards the stairwell, his hands up.

"'Keep your hands up, we've been told what you can do with them." The same voice said and Hans clenched his jaw as he descended the stairwell and saw a group of men waiting on the third floor. A man out front had white hair and wore thick-lensed glasses. He was holding a pistol aimed expertly at Hans who was looking at all of their weapons, "On your knees." The man said and Hans looked at them all as they kept their distance.

"I won't die on my knees." He said and the man nodded and fired his weapon. Hans felt a stinging in his leg and he wavered slightly. The bullet had been fired expertly to only graze his left thigh, but it smarted still. He locked eyes with the man and breathed out, "You're keeping your distance, why don't you come over here and make me get on my knees."

"We have instructions on how best to handle you." He said, "Hands on your head and on your knees." He said and Hans looked at him for a moment and swallowed then put his hands on his head and dropped to his knees. He raised his eyebrows and looked at the man with hate in his eyes as the man let out a small smile, "On your stomach." He said and Hans furrowed his brow but dropped to his stomach, "Splay." He said and Hans laid out with his limbs as far as they could be from one another, "Go." He said and six men approached Hans as the others kept their weapons pointed at him. He felt two men drop their knees heavily on his shoulders as two other men pinned down his knees and the other two bent his arms back and tied them together. They worked quickly but efficiently and they soon had him bound so tightly and effectively, he couldn't move an inch.

When they were done, he was pulled to his feet and the man looked at him for a moment, "You're a kid." He said and Hans furrowed his brow, "Well kid, get ready for a ride." He said then he smashed his pistol into the back of Hans' head and Hans' vision turned black as his head snapped back. The man watched as the men dragged the unconscious Hans from the building then he turned to a man with a machine gun, "Go kill that damn Ins…" He began but then he looked out of the window to see cars pulling up, "That fucking brat was stalling! Let's get out of here!" He said as they all ran back to their cars quickly and the Kempeitai began streaming out and firing shots.

Kido walked down the stairwell quickly, shooting at the backs of the Resistance members as he saw Hans get thrown into the back of a large delivery truck and men piled in with him. He ran out of the front of the building, taking cover quickly as the men getting into the vehicles began returning fire.

"Sorera o teishi shite kudasai!" Kido yelled at the Kempeitai, led by Sergeant Yoshida. They began firing on the large truck and cars and Kido watched as several of the Resistance members fell to the ground, dead or horribly injured. He shot a few rounds then watched as the truck moved away. He walked into the open, mercilessly shooting two Resistance men who were squirming in pain then he pointed at one and the men dragged him away and into a truck, "Subete no hashi o tojiru." He said as Sergeant Yoshida walked up to him. Yoshida relayed the information to the men who nodded and moved quickly to get it done. He had his usual grimace on his face as he looked around at the scene before him, "Secure the area, and…" He said as he squared his jaw and looked at Yoshida, "Get me on the phone with the Reich Embassy." He said as he looked at Yoshida, "Immediately.

Hans heard low voices and he felt a pounding in his head as he began to regain consciousness, "We should have killed him, I don't understand why you…" The man from before was saying, but he stopped as though cut short.

"Life often does not work how we expect it to." A heavily accented voice said in slow, but very coherent English, "Mr. Connell, he is no longer yours to handle."

Connell breathed in, "You're lucky that Abendson holds you in such high esteem!"

"You're lucky," A third voice broke in, in an English accent, "That he doesn't take offense when you blatantly show him such disrespect!" This voice sounded younger and much angrier.

"It's alright Henry, he doesn't mean to offend anyone. It isn't easy for anyone."

"I'll leave you to it then," Connell said then Hans heard footsteps.

He heard a man breath out, "A spirited man, our Mr. Connell." The man with the accent said, "I am sorry about the restraints, but we are very well aware about your talents and I could not risk having untrained men exposed to that level of skill." The voice said then Hans felt fingers touching his wrist and hands gently as the bonds were cut swiftly but carefully. Hans was immediately on his feet, his eyes open and he had quickly gotten space between himself and the man. He blinked a few times, clearing his bleary vision as he brought a hand up to his head and looked at it to see blood on his fingertips. He looked around and saw a tall, lanky kid with brown hair and blue eyes watching him from across the room. He looked at the chair to see a Chinese man straightening up and watching him with a neutral expression but kindness in his eyes. He wore black trousers with traditional Chinese slippers on as well as a loose fitting black, traditional long-sleeved shirt. Hans looked at them both and furrowed his brow then he breathed out and turned to the younger man.

"You're British, I've never heard the accent, I thought we wiped your kind from the map."

The boy took a step forward, "You tried to." He said and Hans nodded as he looked at the young man.

"From Hong Kong I take it," Hans said as he saw the Chinese decorations throughout the room, "You're lucky you weren't back in your country when our forces moved in."

The boy took a step forward, "Hai mei." The man said as he stepped forward and the boy stopped, the veins in his neck and forehead bulging in anger, "You are being unkind."

Hans looked at the man, "Who are you? Why am I here?"

"I am just a Chinese man," He said and Hans furrowed his brow as he looked at the man then at the door.

"What's to stop me from leaving, aside from both of you?" Hans asked and the man smiled wanly and nodded.

"Nothing." He said and Hans nodded and turned around, walking towards the door. Before he knew what had happened, he felt an arm across his chest then he was on his back on the ground.

He got up quickly, wincing as the wound in his side ached slightly and he looked to see that the boy from before was in a fighting stance. He furrowed his brow and looked at him, "Aside from us, there's nothing." The Chinese man repeated and Hans nodded as he looked at the boy. He walked up to him and the boy quickly struck out, Hans blocked it and threw a punch which the boy blocked expertly and delivered several punches to Hans' rib cage quickly before Hans managed to kick him away. He winced as he looked at the boy and put a hand over his side. His head began to pound as his vision faded in and out. He fell to one knee as the pain from his gunshot wound hit him full force.

Hans took a few breaths then looked up at the older man who was watching him closely, with concern, "Who are you really?" Hans asked as the British boy walked up to him and helped him to his feet as he breathed in a breath full of pain.

"I am Master Ip." The Chinese man said, "It is a pleasure to meet you." He said as he placed his right, clenched fist into his left hand and bowed respectfully.

"Henry Churchill," The boy said and Hans' eyebrows shot up as he looked at the young, handsome and athletic man.

"Well, Mr. Ip, Mr. Churchill," He said as he straightened up, "Since I am not leaving," He said as he lifted an eyebrow, "What is it you wish to talk about?"

Henry stepped forward, "You have something in your possession." He said and Hans looked at the young man. His blue eyes held enough pain and intelligence for a man three times his age and Hans knew part of the reason why, given the boy's last name, "Something you don't understand." He said and Hans looked at him.

He breathed in, "Say I do," He said as he looked at Mr. Ip, "What would that mean to you?"

Ip breathed in, "That is not the right question Mr. Axmann," He said as he looked at Hans, "The question to ask is, what that tape," He said, causing Hans to raise his eyebrows in surprise, "Will mean to the world."


	5. Chapter 5

Ch.5

"Reichsminister, ich verbiete es, wir können es nicht zulassen, sir!" Ambassador Reiss said as he looked at Karl from across his desk and Karl looked up from a file evenly.

"Sie verbieten es, Botschafter?" Karl asked and Reiss' eyes widened slightly as he realized his mistake but Oberfuhrer Diels stepped in.

"Ich glaube , was er meint, ist…"

"It matters not," Klaus said as he brought his fist down on the desk, bringing the two men to a quick silence. He breathed out, "While our security worked effectively in getting me out of a dangerous, unclear situation, it appeared suspicious," He said as he raised his eyebrows, "And rightfully so, think of what our Reich would have thought had the roles been reversed." Reiss looked at Diels who was watching Karl closely, "What the Kempeitai are asking is reasonable gentlemen." He said and Diels shook his head.

"Nein, this contract would give them the ability to do with you what they would. You would be signing over your safety, your well-being, to a bunch of...of inferior…" He began but Karl raised a hand.

"And the alternative Oberfuhrer Diels," He said as he looked at him, "Could well be war. Jetzt bin ich bereit, viele Sachen auf meinem bewussten zu haben, aber nicht diesen Krieg," Karl said, "Nicht diesen Krieg." He nodded then breathed in, "I understand what this document means as I hope you both do as well." He said as he raised his eyebrows, "Officially, I am conducting business in Japan essential to the Reich, namely the renewal of ties between our great nations following this tragedy." Karl said as he picked up a pen and bent over the document, "That explains my absence." He said as he looked at them, "If you break this silence and I live through this…" He said and his eyes completed the threat for them both, convincing them in that moment to hold their silence, "Wenn ich nur an das Schicksal glaubte." He said as he bit his lip and smiled wanly, "Zur holle damit." He said and signed the bottom line above which he put his official seal and had Diels and Reiss sign it as well. He straightened up and looked at them then nodded sharply, "We all must be willing to do what we must for our Reich, for our Fuhrer, regardless of rank or personal opinion." He said then he gave the file to Reiss, "Send it to the Japanese." Karl said as he sealed the file, "And keep your silence." He said as he adjusted his tie.

The two men thought Karl was insane, but their respect for him eclipsed this feeling as they watched him straighten his suit and pull a cigarette packet from his jacket. He offered them each one but they refused. He put it in his mouth and lit it then breathed in and nodded, leaving his lighter and cigarette pack on the table, "Viel gluck, ich sehe euch beide bald." He said as he smoked and scratched his eye. The two men snapped smart salutes and Karl looked at them for a moment then returned the salute and walked out, never looking back once. He only paused for a moment, when he was standing outside of the embassy, at the checkpoint. He had left all of his official documents in the embassy and he put his left hand in his pocket with a grimace as he walked across the line, into the Pacific States.

As he approached the tall buildings, he could see the Kempeitai up ahead, Kido standing in front of them, his tall forbidding physique looked more shadow than man, all except for his spectacles which gleamed in the light. Karl walked up to them, just behind the cover of the buildings and in a wide alley so that no one from the embassy or any passing citizen would look twice.

He took the cigarette from his mouth and flicked it into a puddle in the alley as he looked at the eager young Kempeitai guardsmen, "I would ask you to remind them, watashi wa jibun no jiyu ishi de kita." He said and the guardsmen looked at him in shock at his impeccable Japanese.

"Reichsminister," Kido said with a bow, "Allow my men to escort you to our headquarters." He said as Sergeant Yoshida moved his arm and six men jogged over to Karl, three on each side of him, all of them with rifles. Kido watched Karl's face and Karl nodded and raised his eyebrows.

"The file is at your office, I take it you will uphold your end."

"Neither of us wants a war." Kido said and Karl nodded then walked with his escort to the waiting truck. He paused for a moment and Kido watched as he squared his jaw and got into the truck.

"Sergeant, an interview room only." He said as he watched the truck leave, "And no one knows his true identity save us two. To everybody else, he is a citizen of the Pacific States, of our Empire."

"Hai." Yoshida said as he bowed.

Karl was escorted into the large Kempeitai building and he was led up some stairs and into an interview room. The guards never spoke a word, their rifles only clicked slightly as they shifted the bolts or changed their grip on the wooden handles. He was left in the room alone with guards outside the door and he let out a pent up breath as he looked around at the cement walls and the metal door and heavy metal table bolted to the cement floor. There was a metal drain in the middle of the floor and Karl smiled wanly when he saw it, metal drains and cement were always the easiest way to clean up a mess. He took off his suit jacket and draped it over the back of his chair as he put a hand in his pocket and walked across the room to look at a dark mirror intently. He turned slowly as he heard the door open and he saw Inspector Kido enter the room and place a thick file on the table, "Please." Kido said as he put out his arm. He watched Karl move across the room with his slight limp and he studied Karl's bruised face as he took his seat, "You have a very prominent limp, Mr. Rommel." He said as he took his seat slowly and looked at Karl with a grimace, "Not something a person of...eighteen years," He said as he looked up from the file, back at Karl, "Often has."

Karl nodded, "No," He said, "But much like you I have struggled with the Resistance in my life."

"They killed your mother." Kido said emotionlessly as he looked down at the file.

Karl looked at him for a moment, "They nearly killed me." He said and Kido looked up at him, "I have hunted these people all across the world, I would not help them attack your Crown Prince." He said then raised his eyebrows, "If that's who you suspect did this."

"We are considering all possibilities." Kido said as he gave Karl a smile that was more a grimace than anything else.

Karl looked at him for a moment, "I do wish you luck Inspector and I hope you take that seriously. You must have a very finite time before your honor requires you to take action." He said and Kido looked at him for a moment then breathed in sharply.

"Luck will not help me do my job, but cooperation may." He said with a wan smile and Karl looked at him for a moment and nodded, "You are a leading member of the Reich at the age of eighteen." He said and Karl looked at him as he flipped through the file slowly, "You have an intelligence quotient of…" He said then looked up, "185." He said and Karl looked at him evenly, "You are well-renowned for your boxing talents, you have participated in many operations for the Reich, you are...an invaluable asset."

"No man is invaluable, no one irreplaceable."

"Do you know who shot the Crown Prince?" He asked as he looked up at Karl.

"Of course not." Karl said.

"Then why, Mr. Rommel was there an extraction plan so well established for you that before security could lock the perimeter down, you were back on Reich soil?"

"You would have to ask Oberfuhrer Axmann." Karl said, "I am not in charge of my own security." He said and Kido looked at him for a moment.

"Oberfuhrer Axmann was taken by the Resistance earlier this morning, we are unaware of his location." He said evenly as he looked down at the file and Karl's eyebrows shot up in shock.

"You mean…" Karl began as Kido raised his eyebrows and studied him closely, "He's dead?"

"We do not know, though I highly doubt the Resistance would go to such efforts to capture him alive, only to kill him." He said as he looked at Karl, "You are more than colleagues."

"We grew up together, our families are close."

Kido nodded as he looked down at the file, "I will be very honest with you Mr. Rommel, myself and Sergeant Yoshida are the only ones who know your identity, the rest of the Kempeitai believe you to be a citizen of the Empire," He said and Karl looked at him for a moment then nodded, "Why would a high-ranking official such as yourself sign away any sense of security you had and hand yourself over to us?"

"You sent the papers Inspector." Karl said, "Why would you send those papers not expecting me to sign them?" He asked but Kido was just looking at him. Karl grimaced slightly then nodded, "We have had to make sacrifices for our country, both of us…" He said and he breathed out, "My safety, my security was worth forfeiting if it meant avoiding a war." He said and Kido looked at him for a moment then looked at the mirror and nodded.

"There is one last thing, Reichsminister before we release you." He said as he stood and the door opened to reveal a doctor, "A suspect involved in the shooting was shot by one of my men in the chest, if you would remove your shirt." He said and Karl looked at him for a moment then nodded and loosened his tie. He slipped it over his head, placing it on the table then he unbuttoned his shirt but before he moved to pull it apart he looked at Kido.

"You will see...damage." He said then he removed his shirt quickly to reveal a thin, but very well-muscled frame with broad shoulders and a small waist. Kido grimaced as he studied Karl unabashedly until his eyes found the tip of a scar, it ran across Karl's left rib cage and as the doctor leaned in to study it closer, he had Karl turn and the full extent of the trauma of the attack became apparent. There was extensive scarring running down Karl's left rib cage and across to his back and, Kido wagered, to his hip which explained the limp. The doctor ran his fingers lightly over the scarring before he moved on to examine the rest of Karl's chest.

When he was finished he straightened up and bowed to Kido as he shook his head. Kido gave a curt bow back as Karl slipped his shirt back on and began to button it slowly as the doctor said something in Kido's ear before he left. Kido watched Karl closely as he finished buttoning the shirt and put his tie around his neck, returning Kido's gaze as he tucked his shirt in and nodded, "You should have died." Kido said and Karl raised his eyebrows.

"If I always did what I was supposed to Inspector, it would be a far less interesting world." Karl said as he sat back down, "Satisfied I'm not your...mystery suspect?" He asked as Kido sat down as well.

"One more question," Kido said as he breathed in, "Who were the men assigned to cover the buildings from your Reich?"

Karl looked at him for a moment, "I don't know Inspector." He said and Kido looked at him and nodded.

"Then I will not keep you." He said as he stood.

Karl stood as well and donned his jacket then he paused, "You are not what I expected." He said and Kido raised his eyebrows as he turned to face Karl once more.

He grimaced, "What exactly were you expecting?" He asked as he clasped his hands behind his back.

"I expected you to take advantage of my weakness here. I expected to be held and questioned about Reich secrets, to be tortured," Karl said and Kido nodded.

"We are both honorable men." Kido said, "My duty is to find who shot the Crown Prince. I am not a monster." He said and Karl and he locked eyes for a moment. Karl nodded and bowed sharply. Kido returned the bow as he opened the door, "Allow me the privilege of walking you back to the embassy."

Karl inclined his head as they walked side by side through the building together, drawing some strange looks and stares from those who saw them. Karl walked with his hands clasped behind his back and with his light brown-hair and blue eyes, unassuming, limping gait and young face, one would never think of him as the asset and danger he was, Kido thought as he looked sideways at Karl, "You have a family, Chief Inspector." Karl said and Kido noticed it was far more of a statement then a question.

"A wife and two children." He said and Karl nodded, "I suspect it will not be long before you know that joy."

Karl let a wan smile cross his face as he looked around at the grey, cloudy day, "She would have a lot to put up with I'm afraid." He said and Kido nodded.

"We have our burdens, they have theirs."

"I can understand why you wouldn't bring them to San Francisco. It is still very much the….wild west, ja?" Karl said with a smile as he nodded.

Kido looked at Karl, he was very much a young man in his sense of humor and the way he viewed things such as romance, but his eyes had seen horrible things and his hands were stained with the horrible deeds he'd done. Kido found that what he most felt when he looked at Karl, the feeling that eclipsed his respect for the young man, was pity. When one so young is asked to shoulder such responsibility and bear such hardship it causes lasting damage and a ripple in their life that will forever mark them, Kido thought. Karl was stuck in between being that athletic, joking child that he could have been and the cold, calculating Nazi official he had to be and Kido could see it was tearing him apart. He didn't doubt that Karl probably drank and smoked more than most and he didn't doubt that whoever fell in love with the quiet, handsome, unassuming young man would have a lot to break through and polish up. He raised his eyebrows a fraction, his wife certainly had, "Perhaps one day." He said pointedly as he scanned the crowd.

"Inspector, who took Oberfuhrer Axman?"

Kido breathed in sharply, "We have apprehended a worker who has, for some time, been allowing certain persons in and out of the city without properly performing his duties." He said as they approached the embassy, "He is in custody."

Karl looked at Kido and Kido, for the first time that day saw a spark of cruelty in his young eyes, "May I speak with this man?" He asked and Kido considered the question for a moment.

"Of course, Reichsminister, I will have the times available forwarded to your office." He said as they stopped by the line delineating where the Reich territory started. The Nazi guards, upon seeing Karl, had begun to walk towards the line as the Kempeitai did the same on the opposite side upon seeing Chief Inspector Kido.

Karl nodded then clenched his jaw, "Oberfuhrer Axman and myself served together in an uncertain time in both of our lives. We are brothers, Inspector." He said as Kido watched him closely, "I will use any and all means necessary to ensure his safe return."

"We both will, Reichsminister, though I would remind you that he is within the territory of the Empire of Japan and not that of the Reich." Kido said and Karl looked at him, both men understanding exactly what the other meant. The guards were drawing closer and Karl saw the Nazi officials pointing weapons at the approaching Kempeitai. Karl put up a hand as he continued to study Kido's face.

"Of course Chief Inspector, I believe it has been made abundantly clear that the last thing either of us wants is an incident." He said then he snapped his heels together and delivered a sharp bow which Kido returned. They looked at each other for a moment longer then Karl turned and walked across the line into Reich territory where Kido watched as each of the guardsmen snapped a precise and official salute that Karl returned before shaking all of the men's hands and saying something that caused them all to laugh. Kido turned to face the Kempeitai guardsmen and he looked at their young faces for a moment before he swept past them and headed back into the city.

Hans sat in a chair across from Ip and Henry. He hadn't said a word since Ip had stopped talking five minutes ago and both Henry and Ip were watching him intently as he looked at the ground and furrowed his brow, deep in thought. He breathed in sharply but didn't stop looking at the ground as he began speaking, "What you are telling me I must do is treason. It betrays everything I was ever taught, everything I believe, every value I hold." He said as he shook his head, "On the word of two Resistance fighters, two of my enemies, two men who would be happy to see me dead in a gutter."

There was silence for a moment, "Two men who, like yourself do not want to watch the world destroy itself." Ip said and Hans looked up at him, "You have shown a capacity for altruism. You care for people because they are people not because it benefits you or because they are Reich citizens." Ip continued and Hans looked up at him, his eyes almost pleading for an explanation, "These tapes can save this world or they can condemn it, all based on the actions of individuals like you and me." He said, "There are hard things we must all do for a greater good and this is the only greater good." He said and Hans looked at him, "There is a reason you didn't turn in the tape immediately."

Hans already knew what he would do, he knew all about the tapes, he knew the Fuhrer needed them, but he also knew his only chance to get out of this alive was to play along. He breathed out and looked at the ground, "It's in the Embassy, but I can't get in and then out after such a long absence, not with Diels sniffing about. He'll have me sent back to Berlin for a debrief as soon as I set foot on Reich soil."

"Do you have someone in there that you can trust?" Henry asked as he crossed his arms.

Hans shook his head then stopped and looked up at them, all his moves choreographed perfectly, "Maybe." He said, "But I'd have to call him."

Henry walked over to a desk in the corner and brought over a phone, "So do it." He said.

Karl was sitting in his room when his personal line rang. He breathed out and drained the rest of his drink before he picked it up on the second ring, "Hallo," He said.

"Karl, it's Hans." A scratchy voice said and Karl furrowed his brow and leaned forward.

"Hans, what the hell is this…"He said as his eyes widened.

"Listen Karl, I need to ask a favor." He said then there was silence for a moment, "All men must accept aid at some point." He said and immediately Karl reached for a pen and paper. It was code meaning that everything he said next was not to be listened to, but each of the first letters of the next four words he spoke would spell out what he needed, "Knowledge is distracting often in our line of work, but I have need of it now." He said and Karl wrote down KIDO on a pad of paper then listened intently.

"Of course...I thought you were still investigating the Crown Prince's assassination."

"This may be a part of it, in my room is a tape. I need you to bring that tape to the abandoned warehouse next to the Chinese restaurant on Powell, do you understand?" Hans asked.

Karl breathed out, "This is a strange request Hans, are you alright?"

"Yes, but I don't want Oberfuhrer Diels breathing down my neck, ja?" He said, a clear signal to only involve Kido and not their own forces.

"Well I can certainly understand that." Karl said then breathed out, "Alright Hans," He said, playing reluctant to keep Hans safe, "I'll be there, but you have to give me a day, Diels is leaving for a trip up the coast later today, it will allow me time to sneak about, though I do seem to draw attention."

Hans let out a soft chuckle as Ip and Henry listened in closely to the call, "Ja, well I didn't imbue you with wicked intelligence. I'll see you in a day Karl." He said then hung up.

"Karl," Henry said as he put down his receiver and looked at Hans, "Karl Rommel? Reichsminister Karl Rommel?" He asked and Hans looked at him evenly then breathed out and stood.

"I need some fresh air."

"This is perfect, get the tape and take out a senior official." Henry said and Hans stopped as he stood shoulder to shoulder with the young man.

He looked at Henry and spoke quietly, "I will kill you before you touch a hair on Karl's head." He said and Ip saw both of the young men preparing for a real fight this time. Before anything could happen Ip was between them. He delivered a palm strike to Henry's chest, knocking him back several feet as he simultaneously bent Hans' arm behind his back, putting pressure on his left shoulder and bringing him to his knees as he stood over him.

"Zou kai," He said to Henry who looked at them for a moment as Hans breathed heavily through his nose and looked at Henry, fire in his eyes as Ip kept up the pressure on his joint, before he turned and walked outside haughtily. Ip could feel Hans' strength, but he could also tell Hans was in pain, "Your friend will not be harmed." Ip said as he looked down at Hans, "Do you understand?" He asked and Hans let out a breath.

"Yes." He said as he breathed out in pain. Ip let go and stepped back as Hans immediately grabbed his shoulder and stood.

"Henry is young and he lost everything in the war, everything." Ip said as Hans looked at him and furrowed his brow, "He was too young to fully recognize his loss at the time, but it has become apparent since then," Ip said and Hans furrowed his brow as he studied Ip's face then he breathed out.

"We all lost something during that war." Hans said and he genuinely felt for the boy, "I see a lot of myself in him." He said then looked at Ip with a wan smile, "Maybe that's why we don't get along."

Ip looked at Hans for a moment, he didn't for one moment believe that Hans was on their side, but he had to believe Hans would help them. The reality was that they were desperate for this tape, and in the wake of the Crown Prince's shooting, it was just the time to exploit the chaos and go in for a high value target. Ip's face never betrayed his thoughts as he puzzled out the best course of action, he had no choice but to send in Hans and trust him, worst case scenario they would kill Hans and remain in the city to assist Karen in retrieving another tape from the Yakuza. He breathed out, "Clear your head and walk, it is beautiful here." He said and Hans looked at him in confusion as he watched him leave then he walked slowly outside to see that he was in a small shed that was a part of a larger complex with a well kept garden in the middle and a simple house to his left. The complex was right on the edge of a cliff overlooking the Pacific Ocean and all around them was nothing but trees and grassland and mountains.

Hans smiled wanly, now he understood why Ip had let him walk outside alone, there was nowhere to go, no place to run to for miles at least. He looked out over the Pacific Ocean and ran his fingers through his blonde hair as he looked out over the ocean, "Das ist richtig, das ist das richtige." He muttered to himself and he knew it was true but he furrowed his brow as he wondered why, if it was right, it felt like betrayal.

Henry was sitting on a rock by the cliffs, his eyes closed as he attempted to focus in on the ocean noise. Memories kept interrupting his thoughts, images and voices that he would, above all else wish to forget. They kept getting louder and louder until he finally couldn't stand it any longer. He planted his hands on the ground and kicked up with all his strength, striking a low branch on a tree near him and breaking it off of the tree with a loud snap as his feet sailed in an arc through the air until they were planted firmly on the ground once more and he was standing, facing the ocean never having opened his eyes, "You never did take to meditation." Ip said softly and Henry breathed out as he opened his eyes and turned to face Ip, "I am sending you with him." He said and Henry raised his eyebrows in shock, "It is time." He said as he stepped up to Henry.

Henry put his right fist in his left hand and bowed respectfully, "Thank you Ip Sifu," He said as he looked up, determination in his eyes.

"Remember all that I have taught you, you will need to use it all. Remember that martial arts must be practiced and used in a state of benevolence, and remember that there are times to fight and there will be times to run." Ip said and Henry looked at him as he furrowed his brow. Ip put a hand on Henry's shoulder, "Ni shi wo de erzi." He said and Henry inclined his head, "You must allow what will be to be." Ip said, "The universe has a plan for us all and there is no use struggling to avoid the inevitable, it is our calling to allow the waves to push us, not to break through them." Ip said and Henry nodded.

"I will not fail you."

Ip smiled, "I know you will not." He said, "Do not trust him, he has had years of indoctrination, he may be planning something. If that happens, you must take his life then find Karen and help her in any way you can. Make no mistake, you are a major player in this fight, if the Japanese find you it will not be easy but if the Reich finds you…"

Henry nodded, "The son of Churchill, I'm guessing it will be far more unpleasant."

Ip looked at Henry, "Trust yourself Henry, trust your heart." He said as he placed a hand over Henry's chest then grasped his shoulder and pulled him into a warm embrace. Henry breathed out as they broke the embrace and he nodded as Ip smiled then sunk into a fighting stance.

"You sure you're not tired Sifu?" Henry asked jokingly as he put his hands up, "I wouldn't want you…" He began but Ip had darted forward and thrown a punch. Henry immediately blocked it and made to return the blow but Ip expertly blocked it with his forearm and slid it off to one side, delivering a quick blow to Henry's face that Henry barely felt since he was recoiling from the blow in anticipation at the same time Ip made to land it. As he was leaning back from the blow he brought his left arm to shove Ip's arm away as he struck out with his right hand. Ip raised his eyebrows in his emotionally neutral look he always had whilst fighting as he reached up with his left hand to block the blow quickly.

This fighting style was so quick the average person would miss the nuances in what was happening as they moved in a slight circle, kicking up loose dirt with their quick foot movements and sharp kicks. Their upper bodies, while held upright in perfect form and alignment of the spine, seemed to be loose but their arms were a blur of movement as blows were exchanged. They continued practicing until finally Ip saw an opening and he punched through with his body, grasping Henry's neck and turning the boy's own momentum against him as he flipped him to his back, brought him down and raised his fist in what would have been a devastating blow to Henry's face. Henry let out a pent up breath as Ip let his head down slowly and he laid on the rock. Ip stepped back and nodded as he bowed respectfully, "It was a good fight." He said, "You have improved greatly."

Henry got up and sighed, "It's been nearly ten years." Henry said and furrowed his brow as he looked at Ip.

Ip smiled, "In fifteen years you will beat me no problem," He said and Henry looked at him skeptically, "Every man gets old, no one is invincible." He said then he smiled as he looked at Henry, "Practice then," He said reading Henry's body language, "But come in soon and eat and sleep." He said and Henry nodded as Ip nodded then walked away. As soon as he turned his back on Henry, worry furrowed Ip's otherwise smooth forehead.

Hans was sitting on the cliffside with his legs dangling down the rock wall. He looked down at his side to see that red spots were seeping through his shirt. He got up slowly and breathed out as he raised his arm and looked at it, "Come," Ip said as he walked over to Hans, "I'll look at it." He said and Hans looked up at him.

"Why didn't you have them kill me? It couldn't be just about some magic tape." Hans said and Ip looked at him. Ip never once trusted Hans, not for a moment, but he found that he wanted to. He was so young, Ip thought as he looked at Hans. Too young to have done, to have seen what he had seen, but then again they all were. He didn't know if it was a product of him getting older or simply of perspective but every soldier, every Resistance member, they all looked like children to him and he felt for them all.

"I saw you," Ip said simply then turned and walked towards the house.

Hans followed him and breathed in, "What does that mean?"

"I saw the real you," He said, "The one who helps orphaned, hungry children, not the one who shoots a man in an alley at night." He said as they walked into the quaint house. Ip turned as he heard Hans' footsteps stop and he looked at Hans who was watching him, "It may surprise you to hear this, Oberfuhrer Axmann, but you are not a bad man, try as you might." He said and Hans looked at Ip.

"You don't know me," Hans said quietly, not in an offensive or childish tone, simply declarative. Ip looked at him for a moment then put his arm out to indicate that Hans should sit. Hans put his coat on the back of the chair and unbuttoned his shirt revealing his bare chest.

Ip put a basin of water with a white cloth draped over its side on the table next to the chair and he set clean bandages next to the basin. Hans shrugged his shirt off and sat completely bare-chested as Ip looked at the dirty, blood-stained bandages closely. He unraveled them with a gentle hand as Hans stared at the ground in front of him. As he worked his eyes ran over knife wounds and various scars, but he caught sight of another bullet scar on Hans' chest and he furrowed his brow very slightly as he pulled away the last of the bandages to reveal the stitched wound. Hans barely moved a muscle as Ip soaked the cloth in water and washed the wound. The only indication he had that Hans was in pain was the fact that Hans was gripping his knees tightly, other than that, the boy had not moved an inch. Ip finished cleaning it then rebandaged it quickly and expertly.

Hans stood, nodded his thanks and turned to walk back outside, "Do you know yourself?" Ip asked and Hans paused for a moment, halfway through the door before he continued walking.


	6. Chapter 6

Ch.6

Henry gazed out of the windshield in awe as the old, beat up metal car putted along the well-kept road. The road wound through the mountains, then it snaked through an opening in the mountains and flowed out like a river through the valley and towards the shore. Before him were the deep blue waters of the Pacific with a large Golden Bridge fording the gap between the cliffs on this side of the mainland and the island on the other side. Hans looked over at Henry from the passenger seat, "You've never seen it before." He said as he watched the young man's eyes moving rapidly to take in the view of the city.

"No," Henry said simply then he raised his eyebrows and looked at Hans, "It's something." He said and Hans nodded as their car approached the checkpoint at the mouth of the bridge.

"It certainly is." Hans said as their car joined a queue to go through the checkpoint. Henry reached into his suit pocket and pulled out two fake Pacific State passports.

"I hope to God your acting skills cover up that atrocious accent." Henry said as they pulled up to be next in line.

"I was just thinking the same thing," Hans said as they looked at one another silently for a moment before Henry was waved up to an open post with two Kempeitai guards stationed out front.

Henry opened his window and passed a Kempeitai officer the passports. The man looked at them intently then he looked at them both in the car, "What is your purpose for coming to San Francisco."

"We're both from Los Angeles," Henry said in an impeccable American accent, "Wanted to see the famed gem of the West." He said with a wan smile.

Hans leaned forward, "We heard the girls up here were something else." He added in a flawless American accent with a stupid grin.

The officer looked at them both with disdain as he handed them back the passports quickly as though touching them for too long would dirty his hands. He waved them through and Henry drove through without a backwards glance. After a few moments they entered the bridge and began driving across it, "You're rather good at this for a first timer." Hans said as he watched Henry who was staring at the road in front of him.

"I have been hiding my whole life Oberfuhrer," Henry said as he turned to look at Hans, "This is not my first time."

They drove into the city until they reached what looked to be an abandoned, dilapidated area. Henry pulled the car into a dark alley and parked it behind a dumpster. He looked at Hans then nodded and they both got out of the car together. As they walked towards the entrance of the alley Gary could be seen walking towards them with a tall, black man beside him. They all stopped about a foot from one another and Gary looked at Henry and nodded, "We haven't always seen eye to eye," He said and Henry furrowed his brow, "But you're a hell of an asset brother," He said as he reached out a hand, "Who says we can't work together on this?" He asked.

Henry smiled and stepped forward, taking Gary's hand, "No one." He said and Gary smiled.

"We sent out the sign, The British Bulldog," Gary said with a smile, "Now everyone knows you're here and the Kempeitai are scrambling to figure out what the hell that old name means." He said as the black man took up a post behind Hans as they all walked towards an alley door.

Henry furrowed his brow, "Was that wise?"

Gary shrugged, "Probably not, but it didn't hurt anyone or anything and now and again we need some hope." He said as he looked at Henry then grabbed his arm and nodded at the black man who stopped Hans, "A word," Gary said and Henry looked at him for a moment then nodded and they walked into the large, abandoned warehouse.

"Yes?" Henry asked as they stopped near a wooden table.

"That Nazi out there is a leading member of the Reich, you understand?" Gary asked and Henry furrowed his brow.

"We have a plan Gary, he is mine to handle." Henry said.

"If we can get the tape and take him out…" Gary began but Henry brought his elbow down quickly and decisively on the sturdy table which splintered and cracked in half with a loud noise.

Henry brushed the wood from his elbow and breathed out, "I may be young but you will not walk all over me Gary. We are brothers, but you are not my superior. We each have a mission here, stick to yours." Henry said and Gary looked at him for a moment.

"Fair enough." He said then walked to the door and waved Hans in. As Hans was passing through the door Gary grabbed a handful of his shirt and slammed him against the wall. Hans let out a breath of air as he clenched his jaw, "You're lucky that young man is as intelligent and professional as he is." Gary hissed, "Cause I'd kill you the first chance I got." He said and Hans looked at Gary for a moment then breathed in.

"Are you going to let go?" He asked and disgust crossed Gary's face as he shoved Hans against the wall and let go, rubbing his hands together as though attempting to rub sap off of them.

"Let's get this exchange over with then." Gary said as he turned to face Henry, "Oh, Henry this is Lem Washington." He said as he introduced the tall black man.

Henry smiled and shook the man's hand, "Heard a lot about you." Lem said as they shook hands, "Looks like all of it was true." He said as he looked at the table.

Henry winced, "Uh, yeah, sorry about that." He said and Lem shrugged.

"Ain't my table." Lem said and Henry nodded and shrugged.

"Fair enough." He said then he looked at Hans and nodded, "Ready?"

Hans looked at Henry for a moment, the young man was excited and nervous and he was trying desperately to hide it, to appear aloof. Hans felt a horrible pang of guilt in his chest but he nodded, "Trust me, I am as ready as you for this to end." He said and Henry looked at him for a moment then nodded. Both of them walked out of the warehouse and to the abandoned street. Henry looked across the street at a Chinese restaurant that was closed for the day and he nodded.

Hans and Henry leaned against the wall nonchalantly, facing one another as though they were having a discussion. Hans watched Henry's eyes as they darted all around the street, but he had to hand it to Henry, he was good at this. After a few moments Hans' trained ears picked up the sound of feet on pavement. Henry cocked his head, he heard something too but he didn't know what. Hans leaned in towards Henry and Henry looked at him with a furrowed brow, "Run." He said and Henry looked at him.

"Wha…" Henry said but Hans grabbed his shirt and threw him bodily into the middle of the street.

"Run, now." He said strongly and Henry's eyes widened as he realized what was happening.

He looked around then he quickly pulled a pistol from his suit jacket and pointed it at Hans. Hans didn't move a muscle or bat an eye, he simply looked at Henry, "Traitor!" Henry yelled and Hans breathed in.

"I am a member of the Reich, Henry," Hans said as he nodded, "I betrayed no one." He said as Henry furrowed his brow and tightened his grip on the pistol. Hans put his hands up and walked closer to Henry, "You won't shoot me." He said as he reached forward to take the pistol. As soon as their hands connected, Henry seemed to snap out of it. He brought his foot up in a menacing kick that sent Hans' head jerking to one side as he bit through his lip and sprayed blood all over the pavement. Henry could now hear voices and he put the pistol back in his suit jacket and began running down the street just as swarms of Kempeitai streamed from the alleys. He heard shouts behind him then he heard gunshots. He ducked his head slightly as he continued running. He could hear bullets whistling around him, tearing at his clothes as he ran as quickly as he could down the abandoned street. He knew he had to get back to a populated area of the city and he saw an alleyway up ahead and to his right. He ran towards it, turning the corner and coming face to face with a tall, middle-aged Japanese man wearing round spectacles and a black hat in a black suit and tie and a younger Japanese man in the same outfit.

There was a millisecond where their eyes met and recognition flashed in both of their eyes, Henry recognized that he was a Kempeitai man and Kido recognized that Henry was the boy they were looking for. Henry quickly shoulder-checked the younger Kempeitai man then delivered a vicious back kick to his chest, sending him reeling into Inspector Kido and causing them both to fall to the ground. He continued sprinting down the long alley, he could see foot traffic moving ahead of him and he knew he just had to make it until there. He heard shots behind him and he flinched slightly as he continued running. He burst out of the exit of the alley and into the stream of people. Some people jumped slightly as they looked at him and he raised his hands apologetically as he popped his collar and joined the crowd of people, walking down the street with his hands in his pockets and his shoulders hunched.

His head was buzzing in fear and confusion as his stomach churned and he fought the urge to throw up. He heard people shout in fear and confusion behind him and he knew the Kempeitai had streamed from the alley and were making a scene looking for him, but he also knew that they may be good but they wouldn't be able to spot him if he kept his cool. He was breathing shallowly and he knew he was going to black out in a few moments and there was no longer a way around it, the fear was too much and bottling it up was too much. He looked up as his vision began to tunnel in and out and he saw a sign for a bar. He walked into it and walked quickly to the back of the shadowy bar and into a bathroom. He locked the door behind him and immediately threw up into the toilet violently as he fell to his knees. He gasped and put his head on his arm, blacking out for a moment as his body regained its normal breathing pattern.

He came to a moment later and breathed in as he blinked and got up slowly, shakily. He went to the sink and splashed water on his face for a moment. He looked at his reflection, his sparkling blue eyes and brown hair that had become slightly unkempt but still didn't look out of place. He breathed out and collected himself then walked out of the bathroom, "Hey." The bartender said and Henry looked at him, "You alright kid?"

Henry smiled wanly as he walked up to the large, bald man, "Thank you for letting me use your bathroom." He said as he placed 5 yen on the bar, "I actually need to know where the nearest pay phone is please." Henry said as his eyes flicked to the window looking out over the street to see Kempeitai men in their green uniforms and white and red armbands marching around with their billy clubs raised high.

"New here?" The man asked as he took the note and Henry nodded, "It's just across the street, just inside the alley."

"Thank you," Henry said as he turned to move.

"Son," He said and Henry looked back at him, "The Pons tapped every phone line, they'll be able to hear everything you say." He said as he raised his eyebrows meaningfully.

Henry looked at him for a moment, "Thank you." He said in his American accent once more. He walked outside and headed across the bustling street, dodging trucks and carts and people. He saw the phone station ahead of him and walked towards it purposefully. He put in a couple coins then dialed a number he'd learned by heart.

"Hello?" A female voice responded to his call.

"It's Henry."

There was a sharp inhalation, "Henry, Gary just called me…"

"Yeah." Henry said as he leaned against the phone booth, "Yeah, but I am all right, I am alright."

"You know the Pons can hear everything we're saying."

"I've been told." Henry said then paused, "I'll make contact soon, but right now I need to lay low."

"They've sealed off San Francisco, no one's getting out." She said, "We can't get you out."

"The time for running and hiding is over." Henry said, "I'm in this fight, it's time for me to stay in it." He said then he paused for a moment, "To all the invaders listening in." He said and he heard Karen breath in, "All the rumors and whispers you have heard are true." He said, allowing his real accent to show through, "And we shall defend our land, whatever the cost may be; we shall fight on the beaches, we shall fight on the landing grounds, we shall fight in the fields and in the streets, we shall fight in the hills; we shall never surrender." He said then hung up the phone.

He swallowed as he felt emotion welling up in his chest and he closed his eyes for a moment remembering the faint smell of cigars and the low rumble of a thundering laugh. They were the only concrete, positive memories he had of his past. He breathed in and walked out of the telephone booth, turning away to look at a flier as a group of Kempeitai men swept by. He clenched his jaw and looked at their backs for a moment. He looked around at the bustling, chaotic streets, "I need to get off the bloody streets." He mumbled as he popped his collar and walked down an alley.

He looked at the street names, remembering an address Ip Sifu had given him. He could see the water ahead of him and he walked in between two large warehouses dealing with shipments from Japan. As he walked towards the water, he could see the dock workers were looking at him with hostility, they were all Chinese and as he approached an open area, a large group of them approached him, "Are you lost?" One man asked cruelly in a very thick accent as he held a crowbar menacingly in his hands.

Henry put his right fist in his left hand and shook them at the group politely in the traditional greeting, "Wo xuyhao he Chao Sifu shuohua." He said in perfect Chinese with a perfect accent.

The man raised his eyebrows an inch in surprise, "Ta buzaihu bairen nanhai." He said and Henry lowered his hands and looked at the man for a moment then walked forwards.

"Darao yixia." He said as he made to move past the man. The man brought the crowbar down against Henry's chest, barring him from moving forward. Henry looked at the man for a moment then in a few moves he had struck the man in the crook of his arm and brought his foot down in an arc, sending the man falling to the ground viciously.

He took up a fighting stance, holding his left arm slightly further out then his right. The crowd murmured for a moment then three men ran at him. He blocked two of their strikes at the same time and delivered subsequent blows as the third man made to kick him. He moved aside at the last minute, kicking a man behind him, then grabbing the man's thigh and throwing him to the ground viciously, stomping on the man's chin expertly and knocking him out cold. He raised his hands and looked at them all as he moved in a half-circle, preparing for the next attack. Two men ran forwards, crowbars raised as they made to hit Henry. His face remained blank as he stuck one man's elbow then brought his elbow up, smashing it into the man's chin before he turned to the other man, delivering a barrage of punches so quick and devastating that the man fell to the ground as Henry continued punching his torso until he saw the man could no longer fight.

He looked up sharply but just as more men were preparing to join the fight a voice rang out, "Tingzhi!"

The men immediately stopped and Henry relaxed his arms slightly as the group around him broke to reveal a slender, tall Chinese man with black hair turning white in some areas. He was wearing black pants and a grey, traditional button-up, collared shirt. He looked at Henry, his eyes lingering on Henry's clenched fists with only the first two knuckles on each hand bleeding slightly. Henry brought his hands up and performed the traditional bow, "Wo bixu shuohua Chao Sifu." Henry said politely.

"Wo meiyou kan dao chibang zheyang de nianqing." He said as he studied Henry, "It is an honor to meet you Henry." He said as he returned Henry's bow and smiled widely, "I am Chao." Henry's eyes widened and Chao saw as a weight seemed to lift from Henry's shoulders only to be replaced by fear in his eyes. He nodded, "Please, we'll have tea." He said as he put his arm out, "How is Ip Sifu?"

Henry nodded and bowed at the men he had fought before he followed Chao into the warehouse and into an office. Chao put his arm out, indicating a chair and Henry stood by it, waiting until Chao had taken his seat before he sat down, "He is well sir." He said as Chao poured them each a cup of tea and looked at Henry.

"The Kempeitai have been very active today." He said as he picked up his cup of tea and looked at Henry.

Henry looked at him, "Chao Sifu, I...I must ask a favor of you."

Chao smiled, "I see Ip Sifu passed on his reluctance to ask favors."

Henry looked down in shame, "I hoped you might point me towards an abandoned building where I could stay for a few days." He said then winced, "I had an unfortunate…"

"You'll stay with my family." He said and Henry looked up in shock.

"Chao Sifu, I can't do that. It would put your entire family at risk."

"It would be my honor to welcome a master of Wing Chun into my house," He said and Henry began to shake his head, "And the pupil of a dear friend." He added and Henry looked at him and bowed.

"The honor is mine." Henry said and Chao nodded as he looked at Henry knowingly.

"It's just my wife and our daughter, but she is your age so you shouldn't have to put up with too poor of company."

"Xiexie." Henry said then breathed out and shook his head, "They are looking for me."

Chao nodded and let out a noise of agreement, "Shi, we'll wait until dark. We'll be at my house in time for dinner and there's an area for you to practice in." He said, "Until then, wait in here and rest." He said as he stood.

Henry stood as well and bowed once more as the man left the room. He sat down heavily and breathed out, the weight of the whole situation hit him all at once. He felt exhausted and he closed his eyes for a moment breathing in. When Chao walked into the office a few moments later he saw that Henry was fast asleep. The young man had his arms wrapped around his chest and his chin touching his chest as he breathed deeply and evenly. Chao smiled slightly as he remembered a happier time then he laid a blanket over Henry and left the room. When it was beginning to get dark, Chao approached Henry and put a hand on his shoulder only to swiftly block an instinctive punch, "Kuaisu." Chao said and Henry pulled back his arm.

"Duibuqi, Duibuqi." Henry said quickly as he stood. Chao waved his apologies off and handed him a thicker, black wool coat.

"It's a short walk, are you alright?" He asked as he looked at Henry's bruised hands.

"Fine, thank you." He said as he donned the wool coat and popped the collar, hiding his face a little more, "Let's go." He said and Chao nodded and led Henry out into the streets.

"Is this your first time in San Francisco?" He asked as they walked leisurely down the street, Chao with his hands clasped behind his back as he looked around and nodded his head at the frequent greetings.

"Yes," Henry said, using his American accent, "It's huge." Henry said and Chao nodded and let out a sound of agreement.

"I will have my daughter show you the Pan Pacific Park tomorrow, it is beautiful, or perhaps the beach." He said as he looked at Henry.

"Chao Sifu, why did you stay in San Francisco?"

Chao nodded, "Ah," He said, "Wo lian'aile." He said and Henry looked at him, "And she wouldn't go back to China."

"Why?" Henry asked.

"She is Japanese." He said and Henry raised his eyebrows in shock. Chao looked at Henry and nodded, "And that is why I would not take her back." He said and Henry dropped his eyes in embarrassment, "Don't be ashamed, given your background I cannot blame you nor anyone else for that sort of reaction." He said as he looked at Henry for a moment then he breathed out, "You will learn one day, love is not a choice. It is the one thing man is submissive to." He said and Henry looked at him for a moment then breathed out.

"I saw what...what happened when Ip Sifu lost his wife and…" Henry said as he nodded, "You're right, love is an animal that I know nothing about." Henry said, "I had no reason to react as I did, please forgive me. You are taking me into your home and…." He said but Chao held up an arm, stopping them on a street corner.

He looked Henry up and down and breathed in, "You have been hurt by the Japanese, your animosity is warranted." He said as he nodded, "Though I would ask you to attempt to open your heart to some beautiful individuals who you encounter. We do not pick where we are born." He said and Henry nodded.

"Of course." He said and they continued walking down the street. They were getting into a residential area of San Francisco and Henry looked around at the very nice, Victorian-style homes that lined the street, "I've never seen architecture like this before." He said as he studied it in wonder.

"They are from before the war, obviously the inside has been renovated but most of us enjoy the American architecture." He said as he stopped outside of a particularly large home, "My wife knows you are coming, but I believe my daughter will be surprised."

"Might I ask their names?"

"Of course, my wife's name is Hinata," He said, "And our daughter is Hiyori."

Henry nodded, "Thank you again, I cannot…"

Chao shook his head, "Ip Sifu and I go back all the way to our days in Fo Shan before the war. This is the least I can do, and it is our honor and my pleasure to host you. We have a wooden man that you are more than welcome to practice on." He said then smiled, "It would do us all some good to watch a true master at work." He said and Henry bowed.

"It would be my pleasure." He said and Chao nodded then put out an arm and they both climbed some steps to a red front door. Chao opened the door and they stepped inside the large house. It was furnished in a mix of traditional Japanese upholstery as well as Chinese decor such as China vases and paintings. It was a beautiful mix of culture, Henry thought as he looked around. Suddenly a woman in a simple dress stepped from a room in front of them and she immediately inclined her head.

"It is a pleasure to host you in our home, Mr. Churchill." She said in a slightly accented voice, but perfect English.

"It is my honor Chao Fujin." He said and she looked up at the attempt he'd made to speak Japanese and smiled politely.

"My daughter, Hiyori." She said and a girl stepped from the kitchen where they had both been preparing the meal. Henry's breath caught in his throat as he set eyes on Hiyori. She was slender but still looked strong and she had beautiful, large brown eyes that settled on him boldly and sparkled with intelligence. Her face was unblemished and was emotionless, but Henry got the distinct impression that she was someone prone to laughter far more than she was to frowning. She had a slender waist and delicate features and her hair was long and straight and seemed to gleam in the light. She was wearing a simple black dress and she inclined her head respectfully.

"Ni hao." She said softly.

"Ni hao," Henry said as he bowed respectfully, "Hen giaxong renshi ni." He said in perfect Chinese and she looked up in surprise, as did her mother.

Chao smiled, "A man full of surprises." He said and Hinata smiled as Hiyori studied Henry closely, "Hiyori, show Henry where our wooden dummy is. I want you to see what a real master of wushu looks like." He said and Henry shook his head humbly.

"You are far too kind." He said and Chao smiled then put a hand on Henry's shoulder.

"Please go, we will be up in one moment." He said and Henry nodded and followed Hiyori further into the house.

Hinata looked at her husband for a moment then they embraced and Hinata closed her eyes, "It is happening then?" She asked and she felt her husband exhale.

"Something is," Chao said.

"He seems so sad," Hinata said, "His eyes are so old."

"They have seen much, they have lost everything." He said as they broke their embrace and looked at one another, "But he is anxious to build something of his own. I can see that desire in his eyes."

Hinata nodded, "He has a good heart, but I worry for young people like him and Hiyori. They are so full of life and hope. They do not belong in this world Chao." She said and he looked at her for a moment and nodded.

"No," He said as he sighed, "They do not."

Henry followed Hiyori as she walked towards the back of the house to a large, open room with large, sliding glass doors looking out over a well-kept Japanese garden, "You must hate all of this." Hiyori said as Henry looked around. He breathed out and looked at her for a moment then he smiled softly.

"It's beautiful," He said, in reference to the garden, "Such attention to detail, that has always been something that I have found beautiful." He said then he turned his eyes on the wooden dummy.

"But why do you admire it, after all we have done to your people?" She asked and Henry raised his eyebrows and looked at her for a moment.

"You have done nothing to my people," Henry said as he looked at her, "You seem like a very kind and thoughtful young woman."

She looked at him for a moment then breathed out, "Clever." She said.

"It's been known to happen." He said with a slight smile, "Do you mind?" He asked as he put out an arm, gesturing towards the wooden dummy. She looked at him searchingly for a moment then shook her head. He nodded and faced the dummy, removing his coat as he rolled up the sleeves of his shirt and took up a fighting stance in front of the dummy. She watched as he breathed out and began practicing methodically and expertly. She could tell from his movements and muscle tone that he was a true master and she watched with fascination as Henry lost himself in his art.

Kido stood at his desk as Yoshida played Henry's speech over a voice recorder. Hans clenched his jaw as they all listened intently and he watched Kido's barely restrained anger as the message ended. Kido looked up sharply at Hans who raised his eyebrows and nodded, "It's him." He said and Kido's face twisted in disgust.

"How can you possibly be sure?" He asked and Hans looked at Kido for a moment.

"Your scientists have a...nasty tradition of branding their subjects don't they?" Hans asked as he recalled the brand on Hans' arm, it was faint but Hans had spotted it immediately, "His last name, ja?" He asked and Kido widened his eyes as he looked at Yoshida.

"He is still in the city," Kido said, "No non-Japanese person leaves San Francisco, no one." He said as he looked at Yoshida, "Lock this entire city down and deploy every unit." He said as he clenched his fists, "I want him found and brought here alive, Sergeant." He said and Yoshida walked out of Kido's office with the machine. Kido looked at Hans for a moment then looked out the window.

"The moment I set foot in my embassy you won't see me again." He said and Kido nodded as he furrowed his brow, "We both did what we thought best." Hans added, "Now there is no war."

"Not today, Oberfuhrer." He said as he took off his glasses and raised his eyebrows, looking at Hans, "Not today."

"Good luck, Chief Inspector." Hans said as he extended his hand. Kido looked over the brave young man and nodded as he took Hans' hand.

"And to you Oberfuhrer." He said then he watched as Hans walked from his office, limping slightly from the bullet wound in his leg.

Kido furrowed his brow and clasped his hands behind his back as he looked out of the window in his office, "Kare wa ibutsudeari, mohaya kare no sekaide wanai." He said as he narrowed his eyes and studied the streets as though he expected to see Henry.

Ch.6

Henry gazed out of the windshield in awe as the old, beat up metal car putted along the well-kept road. The road wound through the mountains, then it snaked through an opening in the mountains and flowed out like a river through the valley and towards the shore. Before him were the deep blue waters of the Pacific with a large Golden Bridge fording the gap between the cliffs on this side of the mainland and the island on the other side. Hans looked over at Henry from the passenger seat, "You've never seen it before." He said as he watched the young man's eyes moving rapidly to take in the view of the city.

"No," Henry said simply then he raised his eyebrows and looked at Hans, "It's something." He said and Hans nodded as their car approached the checkpoint at the mouth of the bridge.

"It certainly is." Hans said as their car joined a queue to go through the checkpoint. Henry reached into his suit pocket and pulled out two fake Pacific State passports.

"I hope to God your acting skills cover up that atrocious accent." Henry said as they pulled up to be next in line.

"I was just thinking the same thing," Hans said as they looked at one another silently for a moment before Henry was waved up to an open post with two Kempeitai guards stationed out front.

Henry opened his window and passed a Kempeitai officer the passports. The man looked at them intently then he looked at them both in the car, "What is your purpose for coming to San Francisco."

"We're both from Los Angeles," Henry said in an impeccable American accent, "Wanted to see the famed gem of the West." He said with a wan smile.

Hans leaned forward, "We heard the girls up here were something else." He added in a flawless American accent with a stupid grin.

The officer looked at them both with disdain as he handed them back the passports quickly as though touching them for too long would dirty his hands. He waved them through and Henry drove through without a backwards glance. After a few moments they entered the bridge and began driving across it, "You're rather good at this for a first timer." Hans said as he watched Henry who was staring at the road in front of him.

"I have been hiding my whole life Oberfuhrer," Henry said as he turned to look at Hans, "This is not my first time."

They drove into the city until they reached what looked to be an abandoned, dilapidated area. Henry pulled the car into a dark alley and parked it behind a dumpster. He looked at Hans then nodded and they both got out of the car together. As they walked towards the entrance of the alley Gary could be seen walking towards them with a tall, black man beside him. They all stopped about a foot from one another and Gary looked at Henry and nodded, "We haven't always seen eye to eye," He said and Henry furrowed his brow, "But you're a hell of an asset brother," He said as he reached out a hand, "Who says we can't work together on this?" He asked.

Henry smiled and stepped forward, taking Gary's hand, "No one." He said and Gary smiled.

"We sent out the sign, The British Bulldog," Gary said with a smile, "Now everyone knows you're here and the Kempeitai are scrambling to figure out what the hell that old name means." He said as the black man took up a post behind Hans as they all walked towards an alley door.

Henry furrowed his brow, "Was that wise?"

Gary shrugged, "Probably not, but it didn't hurt anyone or anything and now and again we need some hope." He said as he looked at Henry then grabbed his arm and nodded at the black man who stopped Hans, "A word," Gary said and Henry looked at him for a moment then nodded and they walked into the large, abandoned warehouse.

"Yes?" Henry asked as they stopped near a wooden table.

"That Nazi out there is a leading member of the Reich, you understand?" Gary asked and Henry furrowed his brow.

"We have a plan Gary, he is mine to handle." Henry said.

"If we can get the tape and take him out…" Gary began but Henry brought his elbow down quickly and decisively on the sturdy table which splintered and cracked in half with a loud noise.

Henry brushed the wood from his elbow and breathed out, "I may be young but you will not walk all over me Gary. We are brothers, but you are not my superior. We each have a mission here, stick to yours." Henry said and Gary looked at him for a moment.

"Fair enough." He said then walked to the door and waved Hans in. As Hans was passing through the door Gary grabbed a handful of his shirt and slammed him against the wall. Hans let out a breath of air as he clenched his jaw, "You're lucky that young man is as intelligent and professional as he is." Gary hissed, "Cause I'd kill you the first chance I got." He said and Hans looked at Gary for a moment then breathed in.

"Are you going to let go?" He asked and disgust crossed Gary's face as he shoved Hans against the wall and let go, rubbing his hands together as though attempting to rub sap off of them.

"Let's get this exchange over with then." Gary said as he turned to face Henry, "Oh, Henry this is Lem Washington." He said as he introduced the tall black man.

Henry smiled and shook the man's hand, "Heard a lot about you." Lem said as they shook hands, "Looks like all of it was true." He said as he looked at the table.

Henry winced, "Uh, yeah, sorry about that." He said and Lem shrugged.

"Ain't my table." Lem said and Henry nodded and shrugged.

"Fair enough." He said then he looked at Hans and nodded, "Ready?"

Hans looked at Henry for a moment, the young man was excited and nervous and he was trying desperately to hide it, to appear aloof. Hans felt a horrible pang of guilt in his chest but he nodded, "Trust me, I am as ready as you for this to end." He said and Henry looked at him for a moment then nodded. Both of them walked out of the warehouse and to the abandoned street. Henry looked across the street at a Chinese restaurant that was closed for the day and he nodded.

Hans and Henry leaned against the wall nonchalantly, facing one another as though they were having a discussion. Hans watched Henry's eyes as they darted all around the street, but he had to hand it to Henry, he was good at this. After a few moments Hans' trained ears picked up the sound of feet on pavement. Henry cocked his head, he heard something too but he didn't know what. Hans leaned in towards Henry and Henry looked at him with a furrowed brow, "Run." He said and Henry looked at him.

"Wha…" Henry said but Hans grabbed his shirt and threw him bodily into the middle of the street.

"Run, now." He said strongly and Henry's eyes widened as he realized what was happening.

He looked around then he quickly pulled a pistol from his suit jacket and pointed it at Hans. Hans didn't move a muscle or bat an eye, he simply looked at Henry, "Traitor!" Henry yelled and Hans breathed in.

"I am a member of the Reich, Henry," Hans said as he nodded, "I betrayed no one." He said as Henry furrowed his brow and tightened his grip on the pistol. Hans put his hands up and walked closer to Henry, "You won't shoot me." He said as he reached forward to take the pistol. As soon as their hands connected, Henry seemed to snap out of it. He brought his foot up in a menacing kick that sent Hans' head jerking to one side as he bit through his lip and sprayed blood all over the pavement. Henry could now hear voices and he put the pistol back in his suit jacket and began running down the street just as swarms of Kempeitai streamed from the alleys. He heard shouts behind him then he heard gunshots. He ducked his head slightly as he continued running. He could hear bullets whistling around him, tearing at his clothes as he ran as quickly as he could down the abandoned street. He knew he had to get back to a populated area of the city and he saw an alleyway up ahead and to his right. He ran towards it, turning the corner and coming face to face with a tall, middle-aged Japanese man wearing round spectacles and a black hat in a black suit and tie and a younger Japanese man in the same outfit.

There was a millisecond where their eyes met and recognition flashed in both of their eyes, Henry recognized that he was a Kempeitai man and Kido recognized that Henry was the boy they were looking for. Henry quickly shoulder-checked the younger Kempeitai man then delivered a vicious back kick to his chest, sending him reeling into Inspector Kido and causing them both to fall to the ground. He continued sprinting down the long alley, he could see foot traffic moving ahead of him and he knew he just had to make it until there. He heard shots behind him and he flinched slightly as he continued running. He burst out of the exit of the alley and into the stream of people. Some people jumped slightly as they looked at him and he raised his hands apologetically as he popped his collar and joined the crowd of people, walking down the street with his hands in his pockets and his shoulders hunched.

His head was buzzing in fear and confusion as his stomach churned and he fought the urge to throw up. He heard people shout in fear and confusion behind him and he knew the Kempeitai had streamed from the alley and were making a scene looking for him, but he also knew that they may be good but they wouldn't be able to spot him if he kept his cool. He was breathing shallowly and he knew he was going to black out in a few moments and there was no longer a way around it, the fear was too much and bottling it up was too much. He looked up as his vision began to tunnel in and out and he saw a sign for a bar. He walked into it and walked quickly to the back of the shadowy bar and into a bathroom. He locked the door behind him and immediately threw up into the toilet violently as he fell to his knees. He gasped and put his head on his arm, blacking out for a moment as his body regained its normal breathing pattern.

He came to a moment later and breathed in as he blinked and got up slowly, shakily. He went to the sink and splashed water on his face for a moment. He looked at his reflection, his sparkling blue eyes and brown hair that had become slightly unkempt but still didn't look out of place. He breathed out and collected himself then walked out of the bathroom, "Hey." The bartender said and Henry looked at him, "You alright kid?"

Henry smiled wanly as he walked up to the large, bald man, "Thank you for letting me use your bathroom." He said as he placed 5 yen on the bar, "I actually need to know where the nearest pay phone is please." Henry said as his eyes flicked to the window looking out over the street to see Kempeitai men in their green uniforms and white and red armbands marching around with their billy clubs raised high.

"New here?" The man asked as he took the note and Henry nodded, "It's just across the street, just inside the alley."

"Thank you," Henry said as he turned to move.

"Son," He said and Henry looked back at him, "The Pons tapped every phone line, they'll be able to hear everything you say." He said as he raised his eyebrows meaningfully.

Henry looked at him for a moment, "Thank you." He said in his American accent once more. He walked outside and headed across the bustling street, dodging trucks and carts and people. He saw the phone station ahead of him and walked towards it purposefully. He put in a couple coins then dialed a number he'd learned by heart.

"Hello?" A female voice responded to his call.

"It's Henry."

There was a sharp inhalation, "Henry, Gary just called me…"

"Yeah." Henry said as he leaned against the phone booth, "Yeah, but I am all right, I am alright."

"You know the Pons can hear everything we're saying."

"I've been told." Henry said then paused, "I'll make contact soon, but right now I need to lay low."

"They've sealed off San Francisco, no one's getting out." She said, "We can't get you out."

"The time for running and hiding is over." Henry said, "I'm in this fight, it's time for me to stay in it." He said then he paused for a moment, "To all the invaders listening in." He said and he heard Karen breath in, "All the rumors and whispers you have heard are true." He said, allowing his real accent to show through, "And we shall defend our land, whatever the cost may be; we shall fight on the beaches, we shall fight on the landing grounds, we shall fight in the fields and in the streets, we shall fight in the hills; we shall never surrender." He said then hung up the phone.

He swallowed as he felt emotion welling up in his chest and he closed his eyes for a moment remembering the faint smell of cigars and the low rumble of a thundering laugh. They were the only concrete, positive memories he had of his past. He breathed in and walked out of the telephone booth, turning away to look at a flier as a group of Kempeitai men swept by. He clenched his jaw and looked at their backs for a moment. He looked around at the bustling, chaotic streets, "I need to get off the bloody streets." He mumbled as he popped his collar and walked down an alley.

He looked at the street names, remembering an address Ip Sifu had given him. He could see the water ahead of him and he walked in between two large warehouses dealing with shipments from Japan. As he walked towards the water, he could see the dock workers were looking at him with hostility, they were all Chinese and as he approached an open area, a large group of them approached him, "Are you lost?" One man asked cruelly in a very thick accent as he held a crowbar menacingly in his hands.

Henry put his right fist in his left hand and shook them at the group politely in the traditional greeting, "Wo xuyhao he Chao Sifu shuohua." He said in perfect Chinese with a perfect accent.

The man raised his eyebrows an inch in surprise, "Ta buzaihu bairen nanhai." He said and Henry lowered his hands and looked at the man for a moment then walked forwards.

"Darao yixia." He said as he made to move past the man. The man brought the crowbar down against Henry's chest, barring him from moving forward. Henry looked at the man for a moment then in a few moves he had struck the man in the crook of his arm and brought his foot down in an arc, sending the man falling to the ground viciously.

He took up a fighting stance, holding his left arm slightly further out then his right. The crowd murmured for a moment then three men ran at him. He blocked two of their strikes at the same time and delivered subsequent blows as the third man made to kick him. He moved aside at the last minute, kicking a man behind him, then grabbing the man's thigh and throwing him to the ground viciously, stomping on the man's chin expertly and knocking him out cold. He raised his hands and looked at them all as he moved in a half-circle, preparing for the next attack. Two men ran forwards, crowbars raised as they made to hit Henry. His face remained blank as he stuck one man's elbow then brought his elbow up, smashing it into the man's chin before he turned to the other man, delivering a barrage of punches so quick and devastating that the man fell to the ground as Henry continued punching his torso until he saw the man could no longer fight.

He looked up sharply but just as more men were preparing to join the fight a voice rang out, "Tingzhi!"

The men immediately stopped and Henry relaxed his arms slightly as the group around him broke to reveal a slender, tall Chinese man with black hair turning white in some areas. He was wearing black pants and a grey, traditional button-up, collared shirt. He looked at Henry, his eyes lingering on Henry's clenched fists with only the first two knuckles on each hand bleeding slightly. Henry brought his hands up and performed the traditional bow, "Wo bixu shuohua Chao Sifu." Henry said politely.

"Wo meiyou kan dao chibang zheyang de nianqing." He said as he studied Henry, "It is an honor to meet you Henry." He said as he returned Henry's bow and smiled widely, "I am Chao." Henry's eyes widened and Chao saw as a weight seemed to lift from Henry's shoulders only to be replaced by fear in his eyes. He nodded, "Please, we'll have tea." He said as he put his arm out, "How is Ip Sifu?"

Henry nodded and bowed at the men he had fought before he followed Chao into the warehouse and into an office. Chao put his arm out, indicating a chair and Henry stood by it, waiting until Chao had taken his seat before he sat down, "He is well sir." He said as Chao poured them each a cup of tea and looked at Henry.

"The Kempeitai have been very active today." He said as he picked up his cup of tea and looked at Henry.

Henry looked at him, "Chao Sifu, I...I must ask a favor of you."

Chao smiled, "I see Ip Sifu passed on his reluctance to ask favors."

Henry looked down in shame, "I hoped you might point me towards an abandoned building where I could stay for a few days." He said then winced, "I had an unfortunate…"

"You'll stay with my family." He said and Henry looked up in shock.

"Chao Sifu, I can't do that. It would put your entire family at risk."

"It would be my honor to welcome a master of Wing Chun into my house," He said and Henry began to shake his head, "And the pupil of a dear friend." He added and Henry looked at him and bowed.

"The honor is mine." Henry said and Chao nodded as he looked at Henry knowingly.

"It's just my wife and our daughter, but she is your age so you shouldn't have to put up with too poor of company."

"Xiexie." Henry said then breathed out and shook his head, "They are looking for me."

Chao nodded and let out a noise of agreement, "Shi, we'll wait until dark. We'll be at my house in time for dinner and there's an area for you to practice in." He said, "Until then, wait in here and rest." He said as he stood.

Henry stood as well and bowed once more as the man left the room. He sat down heavily and breathed out, the weight of the whole situation hit him all at once. He felt exhausted and he closed his eyes for a moment breathing in. When Chao walked into the office a few moments later he saw that Henry was fast asleep. The young man had his arms wrapped around his chest and his chin touching his chest as he breathed deeply and evenly. Chao smiled slightly as he remembered a happier time then he laid a blanket over Henry and left the room. When it was beginning to get dark, Chao approached Henry and put a hand on his shoulder only to swiftly block an instinctive punch, "Kuaisu." Chao said and Henry pulled back his arm.

"Duibuqi, Duibuqi." Henry said quickly as he stood. Chao waved his apologies off and handed him a thicker, black wool coat.

"It's a short walk, are you alright?" He asked as he looked at Henry's bruised hands.

"Fine, thank you." He said as he donned the wool coat and popped the collar, hiding his face a little more, "Let's go." He said and Chao nodded and led Henry out into the streets.

"Is this your first time in San Francisco?" He asked as they walked leisurely down the street, Chao with his hands clasped behind his back as he looked around and nodded his head at the frequent greetings.

"Yes," Henry said, using his American accent, "It's huge." Henry said and Chao nodded and let out a sound of agreement.

"I will have my daughter show you the Pan Pacific Park tomorrow, it is beautiful, or perhaps the beach." He said as he looked at Henry.

"Chao Sifu, why did you stay in San Francisco?"

Chao nodded, "Ah," He said, "Wo lian'aile." He said and Henry looked at him, "And she wouldn't go back to China."

"Why?" Henry asked.

"She is Japanese." He said and Henry raised his eyebrows in shock. Chao looked at Henry and nodded, "And that is why I would not take her back." He said and Henry dropped his eyes in embarrassment, "Don't be ashamed, given your background I cannot blame you nor anyone else for that sort of reaction." He said as he looked at Henry for a moment then he breathed out, "You will learn one day, love is not a choice. It is the one thing man is submissive to." He said and Henry looked at him for a moment then breathed out.

"I saw what...what happened when Ip Sifu lost his wife and…" Henry said as he nodded, "You're right, love is an animal that I know nothing about." Henry said, "I had no reason to react as I did, please forgive me. You are taking me into your home and…." He said but Chao held up an arm, stopping them on a street corner.

He looked Henry up and down and breathed in, "You have been hurt by the Japanese, your animosity is warranted." He said as he nodded, "Though I would ask you to attempt to open your heart to some beautiful individuals who you encounter. We do not pick where we are born." He said and Henry nodded.

"Of course." He said and they continued walking down the street. They were getting into a residential area of San Francisco and Henry looked around at the very nice, Victorian-style homes that lined the street, "I've never seen architecture like this before." He said as he studied it in wonder.

"They are from before the war, obviously the inside has been renovated but most of us enjoy the American architecture." He said as he stopped outside of a particularly large home, "My wife knows you are coming, but I believe my daughter will be surprised."

"Might I ask their names?"

"Of course, my wife's name is Hinata," He said, "And our daughter is Hiyori."

Henry nodded, "Thank you again, I cannot…"

Chao shook his head, "Ip Sifu and I go back all the way to our days in Fo Shan before the war. This is the least I can do, and it is our honor and my pleasure to host you. We have a wooden man that you are more than welcome to practice on." He said then smiled, "It would do us all some good to watch a true master at work." He said and Henry bowed.

"It would be my pleasure." He said and Chao nodded then put out an arm and they both climbed some steps to a red front door. Chao opened the door and they stepped inside the large house. It was furnished in a mix of traditional Japanese upholstery as well as Chinese decor such as China vases and paintings. It was a beautiful mix of culture, Henry thought as he looked around. Suddenly a woman in a simple dress stepped from a room in front of them and she immediately inclined her head.

"It is a pleasure to host you in our home, Mr. Churchill." She said in a slightly accented voice, but perfect English.

"It is my honor Chao Fujin." He said and she looked up at the attempt he'd made to speak Japanese and smiled politely.

"My daughter, Hiyori." She said and a girl stepped from the kitchen where they had both been preparing the meal. Henry's breath caught in his throat as he set eyes on Hiyori. She was slender but still looked strong and she had beautiful, large brown eyes that settled on him boldly and sparkled with intelligence. Her face was unblemished and was emotionless, but Henry got the distinct impression that she was someone prone to laughter far more than she was to frowning. She had a slender waist and delicate features and her hair was long and straight and seemed to gleam in the light. She was wearing a simple black dress and she inclined her head respectfully.

"Ni hao." She said softly.

"Ni hao," Henry said as he bowed respectfully, "Hen giaxong renshi ni." He said in perfect Chinese and she looked up in surprise, as did her mother.

Chao smiled, "A man full of surprises." He said and Hinata smiled as Hiyori studied Henry closely, "Hiyori, show Henry where our wooden dummy is. I want you to see what a real master of wushu looks like." He said and Henry shook his head humbly.

"You are far too kind." He said and Chao smiled then put a hand on Henry's shoulder.

"Please go, we will be up in one moment." He said and Henry nodded and followed Hiyori further into the house.

Hinata looked at her husband for a moment then they embraced and Hinata closed her eyes, "It is happening then?" She asked and she felt her husband exhale.

"Something is," Chao said.

"He seems so sad," Hinata said, "His eyes are so old."

"They have seen much, they have lost everything." He said as they broke their embrace and looked at one another, "But he is anxious to build something of his own. I can see that desire in his eyes."

Hinata nodded, "He has a good heart, but I worry for young people like him and Hiyori. They are so full of life and hope. They do not belong in this world Chao." She said and he looked at her for a moment and nodded.

"No," He said as he sighed, "They do not."

Henry followed Hiyori as she walked towards the back of the house to a large, open room with large, sliding glass doors looking out over a well-kept Japanese garden, "You must hate all of this." Hiyori said as Henry looked around. He breathed out and looked at her for a moment then he smiled softly.

"It's beautiful," He said, in reference to the garden, "Such attention to detail, that has always been something that I have found beautiful." He said then he turned his eyes on the wooden dummy.

"But why do you admire it, after all we have done to your people?" She asked and Henry raised his eyebrows and looked at her for a moment.

"You have done nothing to my people," Henry said as he looked at her, "You seem like a very kind and thoughtful young woman."

She looked at him for a moment then breathed out, "Clever." She said.

"It's been known to happen." He said with a slight smile, "Do you mind?" He asked as he put out an arm, gesturing towards the wooden dummy. She looked at him searchingly for a moment then shook her head. He nodded and faced the dummy, removing his coat as he rolled up the sleeves of his shirt and took up a fighting stance in front of the dummy. She watched as he breathed out and began practicing methodically and expertly. She could tell from his movements and muscle tone that he was a true master and she watched with fascination as Henry lost himself in his art.

Kido stood at his desk as Yoshida played Henry's speech over a voice recorder. Hans clenched his jaw as they all listened intently and he watched Kido's barely restrained anger as the message ended. Kido looked up sharply at Hans who raised his eyebrows and nodded, "It's him." He said and Kido's face twisted in disgust.

"How can you possibly be sure?" He asked and Hans looked at Kido for a moment.

"Your scientists have a...nasty tradition of branding their subjects don't they?" Hans asked as he recalled the brand on Hans' arm, it was faint but Hans had spotted it immediately, "His last name, ja?" He asked and Kido widened his eyes as he looked at Yoshida.

"He is still in the city," Kido said, "No non-Japanese person leaves San Francisco, no one." He said as he looked at Yoshida, "Lock this entire city down and deploy every unit." He said as he clenched his fists, "I want him found and brought here alive, Sergeant." He said and Yoshida walked out of Kido's office with the machine. Kido looked at Hans for a moment then looked out the window.

"The moment I set foot in my embassy you won't see me again." He said and Kido nodded as he furrowed his brow, "We both did what we thought best." Hans added, "Now there is no war."

"Not today, Oberfuhrer." He said as he took off his glasses and raised his eyebrows, looking at Hans, "Not today."

"Good luck, Chief Inspector." Hans said as he extended his hand. Kido looked over the brave young man and nodded as he took Hans' hand.

"And to you Oberfuhrer." He said then he watched as Hans walked from his office, limping slightly from the bullet wound in his leg.

Kido furrowed his brow and clasped his hands behind his back as he looked out of the window in his office, "Kare wa ibutsudeari, mohaya kare no sekaide wanai." He said as he narrowed his eyes and studied the streets as though he expected to see Henry.


End file.
